DC Photo/Bike Ride

This past Sunday I spent a few hours with some friends on a nice bike ride in DC.  Our goal was to see some of the sights, take a few pictures and get a little exercise along the way.  I had a real good time despite the heat.  We ended our day eating dinner at a Mongolian BBQ in Chinatown.

Thanks to Brian, Ryan, Omar, Galen, Dave and Erik for hanging out.  Hope to do it again soon.

Here are a few of my images.  Click to enlarge.

Happy Birthday Josh

We are proud of you and we love you,

Your family

 

prepare for a portrait session

Some people can be a little un-easy about getting their picture taken by a photographer. There are a variety of personal reasons one could feel that way. I am here to tell you that it doesn't have to be, nor should it be a bad experience. A good photographer understands that their primary responsibility is to make this a great experience - even more important than the final product delivered to the client.

Trust is very important aspect of a photo session. You and the photographer should have the same goals and be comfortable with each other. Hopefully this is a relationship that will last well beyond your session.

Once in the studio or on-location you shouldn't have to worry about much. This is where the photographer typically leads the effort of working through different set ups, lighting, posing, etc. But, this is a collaboration so don't be hesitant to be a participant in the creative process. I love it when a client gets into the event and suggest some interesting ideas. To help ensure a great experience there are some things you can do ahead of time to minimize any stress. Just some basic things to think about and do before a photo shoot.

Communication

• Contact the photographer prior to the event
• Go over the anything special you have in mind.
• Confirm date, time and location.

Rest up

• Get a good night’s sleep, we all look better when we’re rested and looking fresh

Pick out your wardrobe in advance

• You don’t want to scramble through your closet the day of the shoot Ask for ideas from the photographer.
• Generally, more solid garments photograph better than a busy outfit.

Bring what you need

• You may need to freshen up make-up or even your hair.
• Consider you might be changing clothes, will you need different accessories?

Allow more time than expected

• You will have a rough idea on the length of the session. But free up more time on your schedule in case you run over. You don't want to feel rushed towards the end - especially if things are starting to really click. A good photographer isn't watching the clock during the shoot and will take as much time needed to get those special images.

Relax

• Nothing to be nervous about, this will be a lot of fun. So prepare a little, relax and enjoy the moment.

Fredericksburg Fair

Spent some time with my family today at the Fredericksburg Fair. Josh had a great time riding rides with Megan. I usually ride along too, but was busy doing some people watching with Allie. The weather was a little overcast but made for a very comfortable day to go see the sights.

Here are some of my unsuspecting models for the day. You just never know when you will make my blog.

Click an image to enlarge

Spooky Flower

I don't often take pictures of flowers.  It is not that I don't appreciate a good floral image, just not my cup of tea.  So typically when I do venture out and take a flower image  - I begin to experiment.  Either with color or composition.   I usually end of with something very different from what I captured.

Then there is this image.  Not sure about you but as soon as I started processing it -  I could only see a ghost in the brush.  See it, please tell me it's not just me.

Anyway, what was a very pretty flower is now a bazaar and freaky image.

Just another reason I will stay away from the floral pics.