Hope You're Hungry

Something I have been wanting to do is work with food bloggers to photograph their delicious creations...I might have mentioned, my husband cooks. Like, really cooks. And I eat (and take pictures.) It's sort of a perfect arrangement.

My very first project was from Debra over at The Saffron Girl. As she put it, "I'm one of those food blogs with unflattering photos ;)" So, husband and I decided to make the stuffed peppers and the chicken with turmeric/garlic/rosemary which we served with a harvest salad (mixed greens, gorgonzola cheese, dried apricots and cranberries, walnuts, apple slices).

Tea With Friends

A couple of weeks ago (that's how far behind on editing I am) my daughter was invited to attend a formal tea party with two of her friends. It was a gorgeous day at Morven Park, and the girls all wore beautiful dresses in shades of purple and pearl necklaces and dined on fresh-baked cookies. It was nothing short of a fantasy!

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge | Friendship {October 2012}

I am entering this image for the I Heart Faces "Friendship" Photo Challenge this month. It's my daughter with her friend/future husband. You can't tell from the image but we didn't pose them - Liam took Isabella's hand and they strolled that way, a few steps in front of us, pointing things out to each other and sharing secret conversation. They may not remember this moment years from now but thankfully, I had my camera and was able to take a few cute pictures. I love how you can see just how smitten Liam is!

http://www.iheartfaces.com/2012/10/friendship-photo-challenge/

Halloween

I'm not much of a planner, I always wait till the last minute on everything. I finally ordered my daughter her Halloween costume with just a couple of weeks to spare - she chose Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street. The fairy dust is from Heart 2 Heart Gifts. I actually won a set in a contest back in March but never used it, though it was perfect for her costume.

Catching Up

WOW - am I behind on sharing my most recent sessions with you. I have three to show you, from the last week or so, plus the beginning of my Holiday Minis. I'll pick my favorite image from each and then provide a link to the preview on Facebook if you're interested in seeing more from the session :)

Hashtag Patchogue

Though I currently live in Northern Virginia, both my husband and I are from Long Island, NY. My family lives in a small town on the south shore called Patchogue, and when we go home to visit, this is where we stay.

The Happiest Boy on Earth

I'd like to introduce you to Liam. Seriously, this kid doesn't stop smiling. His super proud parents are friends from college and asked me to do a session with them while I was home this past weekend. Of course, I jumped at the chance - who wouldn't want to spend some time with Liam?? I also used my new Canon 100mm macro exclusively for this shoot. Nice to have very patient friends who will let you play :)

Allettante Salon & Spa

Imagine my excitement when, out of the blue, a friend from high school messages me on Facebook and tells me that she loves my photography - but wait, it gets better. She tells me she has suggested to a friend that she hire me to come take pictures of her new salon on Long Island.

They say the best compliment you can give a photographer is to hire them - but I think a referral is at least just as good, because it means they stand behind your work.

One Month Old Charlee

Yesterday, I had my very first "newborn" session with one month old Charlee. She is gorgeous, and her mama looks fantastic - wish I looked like her a month after I had a baby! This session was very exciting for me because I have really been giving thought to newborn/birth photography. There are a few things I might do different next time but it was such a great experience. Sharing a few of my favorites with you, the rest of the preview can be seen on Facebook.

Congratulations, Lauren and Chip!

The Fresh 20: Mediterranean Grilled Steak with Balsamic Summer Vegetables

The Fresh 20 does it again - another delicious and unique steak recipe. It sure does seem like we eat a lot of red meat around here, but really we only have it once a week or so.

 The set up:

Sunday Social :)

Love this idea from http://acompletewasteofmakeup.com/ - decided to give it a go this week.

1. What is something you have wanted to do but are afraid of? This blog. My Etsy shop. My Facebook page. Just putting myself out there in general.

Wollam Gardens

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Last Wednesday was our fourth anniversary - we took a drive down to Wollam Gardens in Jeffersonton, VA. And because I am the worst, I totally forgot to share my pictures with you!

Two Years Home

September 18th is a special day in our house. Not just because it's the day before our wedding anniversary (happy 4 years to us, tomorrow!)

Grand Opening

It's something I've been aiming to do for a while. But I sat there, frozen with fear, staring at the "Congratulations! Your shop is ready. It's time for the grand opening." banner. Do I click it? Or force quit Chrome and pretend it never happened?

Stella + Dot Trunk Show

This morning I hosted a Stella + Dot party for my friend Meg - not just any friend, but the owner of Ciste Gras, and the mastermind behind the delicious cake pops and cupcakes I'm always photographing ;)

Home Run Sal [sneak preview]

I got to spend my morning with this handsome guy:

Weekend Blog Walk

I am beyond excited to be joining Jessica from @ Home Take 2 and the other hosts for this weekend's blog walk! And I so appreciate you stopping by my little photoblog. I live my life with my camera in one hand and a good cup of coffee in the other...while chasing after my toddler ;)

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

Today was my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. Not that it's really fall weather here in Northern Virginia, but a girl can pretend. And not that I've ever had a Pumpkin Spice Latte before. How could no one have told me about how magical they are? Or do I just live under a rock?

Baltimore Aquarium

On Friday my family and I went to the Baltimore Aquarium for my daughter's 2nd birthday! I love aquariums. I love the water and I love the fish. I feel so peaceful. And it's always interesting to see fish I've swum with up close and personal on a dive (including sharks) behind glass, where I can stand there with my camera and connect on a very different level.

Happy Birthday, Isabella!

Today, my baby is 2 years old.

To be honest, I'm writing this on Wednesday and scheduling it to post for her actual birthday on Friday, because we'll be on our way to the Baltimore Aquarium and I won't have time to write :) Then on Saturday we're hitting Sesame Street Live! She's going to be so excited!

The Fresh 20: Ribeye Steak with Salsa Verde

About a month ago my husband and I signed up for The Fresh 20. If you haven't heard of them, you should definitely check them out. They plan out balanced, family-friendly meals for the week and promise to keep to a certain budget. My husband does most - ok, all - of the cooking in our house, and as a working dad it's easy to get stuck in a take-out routine. The Fresh 20 solves that problem for us.

Labor Day

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Labor Day! We had good friends in town and spent our afternoon at one of my favorite wineries, Village - I may have mentioned them before ;)

Holiday Mini Sessions!!

Happy September!

I am normally totally against thinking about the holidays before Halloween even gets here. But I don't want it to be too last minute for people, so I figured I would start rolling it out slowly.

And the winner is...

You may not know this, but I was recently a part of a giveaway held by the amazing Heather from Spunky Real Deals! We had a lot of great entrants and it was a seriously difficult decision, but there could only be one winner...

Congratulations to Julie from The Bumble Bee Studio! I absolutely can not wait to work with you and your bee-autiful products!

Thank you so much to all who entered! I am offering a very discounted session to all of you as a thank you, so please email me directly for more information :)

Beer Me Another

One of our local wineries, Corcoran, has recently launched their own brewery that we've never been to. So we decided to check it out while my brother-in-law was in town from New York.

Fleeting Moments

I wanted to blog today.

I wanted to tell you all about our adventures trying to buy my husband a new (used) commuter car for work - people, cars do not appreciate in value. At least not the ones we were looking at.

Boxwood Winery

On Saturday I had the absolute pleasure of joining some new friends out at Boxwood Winery in Middleburg, VA (I'm sensing a theme to these blog posts.)

As far as picturesque goes, this is really a tough spot to beat.

Augie the Kitten

My friend Kelly brought over her new kitten today for a little kitty photoshoot. She adopted Augie from the Loudoun County Animal Shelter. LCAS actually rescued my own cat after she ran away last winter, so I'm a big fan.

Please send reinforcements.

My daughter will be two on September 7th. Back in mid-July we converted her crib to a toddler bed, and have gone the last month or so without any issues. In fact, her sleeping was better than ever - she wasn't as restless and was sleeping 11 to 12 hours overnight, and sometimes more. "Why didn't we think of this sooner?" I would ask myself as I rolled out of bed at 10am.

Wine, please.

I recently mentioned that I enjoy a glass of local wine now and again...and again. I live in Loudoun County, Virginia - Wine Country, as it's known. There are more than 30 wineries within a decent drive from our house, and some that are only minutes away. We also have a lot of farms.

Put Me in the Zoo

Today, my friend Kim and I took my daughter to our local zoo, the Leesburg Animal Park. For anyone in the area, it's a great little place to check out. Entrance for adults is only $10 and you get a cup of food to feed the animals. The chickens and giant turkeys are just out and about with you, and they have a huge petting zoo area with all kinds of animals in it. They have a free wagon ride that takes you to see some cool, larger animals as well as the zebras, and they do free shows with some of the exotic animals. They also offer pony and camel rides. It's a very neat place to have right in town.

Plumbing With Friends

My husband travels a lot. Just about every month and mostly for work, but this weekend he is at a bachelor party in New Jersey. In keeping with tradition since a trip he took in May, our garbage disposal suddenly stopped working almost as soon as he walked out the door. When the garbage disposal doesn't work the sink doesn't drain. This is a problem.

Nice to meet you!

How excited am I to be a part of this blog link up? I wanted to use my "real" camera, but part of what I love about my iPhone is the ability to quickly and easily capture the everyday moments in my life as a SAHM. So it was only fitting that all but one of these are iPhone photos, and most had a little help from Instagram ;)

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge | Pet Faces {August 2012}

Meet Finn; he is our 5 year old German Shepherd/Pug mix. Yes, you read that right. And to answer your next question, the pug was the mama. The couple we got him from were pug breeders who also had a GSD they showed so he couldn't be neutered. So while it was no surprise when the pug got knocked up, they were a bit thrown off when she gave birth to these little monsters they call "Shugs." :)

Headshot help

I need some help!! I love my little Instagram icon but I'd like to have something a touch more professional as well. Which do you guys prefer - color vs black and white, right vs left?

Obama 2012 Rally in Leesburg, VA

What an exciting night! I attended the Obama 2012 rally in Leesburg, VA with my favorite mother-in-law ;) Now, I am not normally the rally type. I'm not even the politics type. But it's not every day the President of the United States will be in your small town in Northern Virginia and I just couldn't pass up what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Click it Up a Notch

My entry for the July contest - this photo was taken in a Puritan cemetery in Salem, MA just a few days ago while my husband and I were on our very first mommy/daddy trip without our daughter (she's almost two!) I love the flare from the light shining onto the headstones while the sky is just bright enough to see on the horizon. By far one of my favorite photos from the trip.

Massachusetts Trip

Today I returned home from four days away with my husband - our very first mommy/daddy trip without our daughter. It was so hard to leave her but it was really nice to get away. We had an awesome visit to the Sam Adams Brewery, I highly recommend it if you're in the area. Not to mention...the museum in Salem happened to have an incredible Ansel Adams exhibit that I thoroughly enjoyed :)

Giveaway!!

This is so exciting - my first giveaway! I have teamed up with Spunky Real Deals to offer a small business in the NoVa area new images for their website.

Click here for details on how to enter :)

Winner will be chosen on 8/28 (my dad's birthday!)

Mila Turns ONE

I am so excited to share the rest of Mila's session with you all! For those who missed her sneak preview the other night, you can see it here.

I first met Mila's mom, Paige, when she responded to my post on our town's FaceBook page looking for a model for boutique photography. It turned out we had a friend in common. I'm so happy to have met them; not only is Mila gorgeous, but she's a tough cookie with three older brothers. You probably won't believe me but she was actually sick when we did this shoot - Mila is just all smiles, all the time.

Mila - Sneak Preview

Tonight I had the ultimate pleasure of photographing Mila for her big FIRST birthday (which is tomorrow! or, I guess technically today. Happy birthday, Mila!) I'm not even 1/4 of the way editing but I wanted to share a sneak preview of the beautiful birthday girl :)

We did her session at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA. I don't want to ruin the surprise but we ended with the most epic cake smash ever ;) More on that when I'm done editing and ready to share the rest of my favorites!

In the meantime, is Instagram cropping up (pun intended) in anyone else's photography, outside of the app? I am unapologetically obsessed with square cropping, thanks to IG. And I must say, quite impressed with the performance of my Tamron 17-50 on this image.

Ciste Gras - Mini Cupcakes

On Friday morning I was treated to a delicious, last minute photo session with mini cupcakes by Ciste Gras Cakes in Leesburg. If you don't know Meg, you definitely should - I shot her cake pops a few months back and they were the most tasty things ever, and her cupcakes were no different.

Welcome :)

Special interest in food photography. I am based out of Leesburg, VA but I love to drive and will happily come to you (including all of the DC-metro area and parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.) Arrangements can also be made for parts of Long Island, NY.

**Looking for long-term food blog projects!!**

Offering boutique photography for Etsy and other online retailers.