The Birds and The Bees
Sometime earlier this year, I was contacted with the honor of capturing stills for a pharmaceutical company beginning a targeted campaign in Baltimore. The idea is to raise awareness of fertility issues in couples using very special models. I have to say, it was THE highlight in a very dreary February.
The story is this; the bee is the husband and his wife, the bird, are trying to conceive. They lead a normal life, going about the town, doing all the things that everyone else does; shopping, eating out, seeing the sights.
They live, laugh and love. Each step they take is together and so, trying to conceive, they have difficulties. What could they do? They share the same dilemma as 1 in 8 couples do, difficulty conceiving. The stress is there and each feels it deeply and in their own way.
There are options and paths to take. One of which is fertility treatments. This is where increaseyourchances.org and the company behind it, EMD Serono, come in.
Gold Marketing Group and mono, along with World Communications Group (WCG), brought in myself, Joe Stevens and the amazing Steven Holloway to capture 4 “couples” as they bound about Baltimore. It was a great day, just two weeks after 2-4 feet of snow; of course the birds and bees will be out.
Kushner Family
It was HOT! The day was HOT! I mean sweaty, sticky, burning HOT!
Ugh! I’m not a fan of this kind of weather. But then, who is?
Well, the Kushner family may not vote for HOT sticky sweaty August days but we did not let that deter us. We met at Brookside Gardens in Montgomery County, MD about 4 hours before a wedding I was scheduled to shoot. Busy day? M-hmmm!
When a family wants me to photograph the family, I make sure they get everything they want, and then some. It sounds like the tagline for a summer movie release but it’s true. Giving the client better than what they’ve paid for is what I’m all about. Because they deserve better.
Back to the photo shoot; I think we started at 11 am, although we were supposed to start earlier. There had been a wardrobe malfunction and these things can not be rushed. Enough said.
Brian and Amy (parents) have their hands full with the kids. They must be at that age where vigorousness meets precociousness. Of course, bring a kid to the park and they will want to let loose. It happens to my girls and they are younger than the Kushner children. We went to several different scenes throughout the park. This park is big enough and laid out in such a way as to allow several excellent scenes to photograph anyone. I try to mix up the poses with spontaneity and delightful good humor.
These images have been put through a special process. I can do the similar for you and your family.
Mary Beth & Chris
I’ve know Chris for several years, photographing his family for their holiday cards, taking business portraits for his families company and generally getting to know them at almost all levels. They have been a joy and Godsend for me and my family. They are ideal in that they treat me with respect and my family is included whenever they have events. It’s amazing that there are people with such big hearts still out there in this society.
This post is about the album from their wedding which occurred two years ago in Federal Hill. Their reception was The Museum of Industry on the waterfront. I was able to deliver the album, which was produced at Pictobooks, before their anniversary.
A Blended Family – Baltimore Style
Just last year, I was called upon to come to Baltimore and photograph a family. Not just one family, it seems, but a family that took it’s shape after the mom had children and found a dad who had children and they came together to form a single family; kinda sounds familiar, doesn’t it, Alice? Well, they didn’t have a maid called Alice and they didn’t have a dog named Tiger nor any of the miriad trivia that surrounded that famous TV Family. But they did have a bit of a mix of the strata that makes up today’s family units. More importantly, they had love for each other.
Family Photos – The First Time
I’ve known this family for a few years and finally had the chance to photograph the entire family together for their Holiday Cards. Most of you know when you have kids, it’s hard to get them to hold still. Well, when you have teenagers, it’s hard to get them to stay home for a photograph. This family was about to send one of their sons to the left coast for the first time. The boys are twins, but very much different; like matter and anti-matter. So, putting the sister in between them was important for the safety of the Universe. I don’t usually shoot up on people as it tends to pull their chins down or you’re looking up their noses. But this was a shot they wanted so I met their needs and suggested the text for their card. I even chose the font. Most of my clients tend to allow me the creative freedom to do such things. Of course, if they have a desired direction, I tend to accompany them and help to make the journey exciting.
Family Photos – The Best Clients
I’ve been photographing this family for about 9 years, now. They have consistently sought me out for my services, not because I’m excellent but because they know how much I care about their needs and how well we work together on the images. Each member of the family has a say in the production of the yearly event. But most important in the entire theme is that everyone is comfortable; with their clothes, the location, and with each other. It is to the point that I feel like a family member. I am honored that they keep calling on me for this function.
Extend USA
This was for a hair salon, Chris Richards. They wanted this video to create an excitement for this form of hair extensions. Richard and Chris, a husband and wife team, run their salon in Silver Spring, MD. A very nice couple who have a passion for nice hair. Well, at least they’ve got hair. I can’t say the same for myself.
There were several models and I was able to create a seperate video for each one. They even had someone create the music for each model. It took some time, but I am proud of the final product. Feel free to tell me how you feel.
Tweak your She(ic) Event
Washington, D.C.
Hotel George
June 7, 2009
Ladies are called to an event to Tweak what is called their “She(ic)”. More than a clever play on words, this event, designed to turn lives around, brought together purveyors of precious perceptions for the pretty patrons. A reminder of how wonderful we are, in God’s sight, is a much needed reminder and Natalie Jobity of Elan Image Management (www.elanimagemanagment.com) worked very hard and successfully to communicate this truth. Alone or in pairs or more, ladies arrived at the Hotel George to get it on. Their Chic (a.k.a. She(ic)) that is.
A few images are produced here to show what some ladies were able to come away with. Enjoy!
Lisa & James Wedding Intro Video
A simple selection of some of the best portraits of Lisa & James before and after their wedding ceremony in Cancun, Mexico. I hope you enjoy.
Howard County Chamber 40th Birthday Celebration
We all got together at the Spear Center at Columbia Town Center’s Rouse Building to celebrate the 40th Birthday of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce. It was fun! We had the Fabulous Party Girls and it didn’t take long before some people got up to dance.
George of New York Hair Salon Fashion Shoot
Well, the other day… It was June 2008 and I, once again, shot the images for George of New York Hair Salon of Columbia, MD. It was fun. I like shooting “fashion”. Now, most salons don’t go this way, but George is unique in the area because Shari Hammond, who now owns GoNY, likes to give her stylists room to breathe and grow, just so long as they wear black, white or red clothes.
So, most of the ladies were really, really young and easy to photograph. Some felt a little self conscious and needed a little extra relaxation like humor or whiskey. Seeing as I didn’t have whiskey, I relied upon my own humor.
Manhattan Walkabout
On May 13, 2009, I had the opportunity to travel to New York City to view a decorators’ show house. It was one of those multi-million dollar townhomes one block from Central Park. The various rooms in the 5 story home were decorated beyond belief. But this isn’t about the home. It’s about my walkabout. Rather than try to shoot the city the way everyone else has, I decided to get some of the details of the city. The generations that lived and died in this sizeable burg honestly shock me. I’m from the country where we had grass outside our front door. We didn’t have to travel via subway or cab to get to it. As a matter of fact, my neighborhood didn’t even have a sidewalk. So seeing the minutiae is quite exciting. Most people pass by this without a sideways glance. I love the details. Most of what I shot were doorknobs, or parts of the door. I also shot on a Nikon 8008s (this means it was film) but I haven’t processed the film, yet. I’ll probably upload those images at a later time.
Once upon a Virginian Wedding
This is a wedding album I created for a really nice couple, Jim and Satee. They were married a few years ago in Lansdowne, VA. A wonderful location on a beautiful day with dear friends and close (and distant) relations were all the best parts of the day, second only to the Bride and Groom and how they loved one another.
Jessica Pi Productions wrote about this wedding in her blog.
Residential Interior Design – Living Rooms – CLW Designs
Carol Weil, CLW Designs, has been using my services for about 5 years now. She has a wonderful way to address the room and encourage it to be the best it can be. It’s like rearing children, in some degree. Only, rooms don’t mess themselves up; they do as they are told. But you have to love the rooms, too. Here are a few “room lifts” she has done over the past 5 years.
Dr. Richard Florida Speaks to Howard County
Last night, at the APL of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class (www.creativeclass.org) spoke to members of local government, The Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Howard Community College, Howard County Library, and the Horizon Foundation. The event was sponsored by the Howard County Economic Development Authority.
Excerpt of Dr. Richard Florida’s Talk on The Rise of the Creative Class
Fine Art? – That’s what I said.
I have always looked for the beauty in what I photograph. It is not like I intend or try to be one of the great Masters of the Renaissance age, although I treasure their works and admire the abilities. Being a Renaissance Man is something I desire but can never truly attain because I don’t believe I can adequately attain such abilities. To that end, I try and focus my energies on one thing; Photographic Art. Having the eye to see the beauty in the scene is what I think sets me apart from most every other person out there. We all see things differently, but do we see them in ways that other people WANT to or WOULD LIKE to. I don’t want to be cruel and show the hideous nature of Man. We have CNN and MSNBC to show us the failures of this world. I would rather we focus on what God has done and continues to do. To that end, I give you a simple taste of a few of my images in my archive. My desire is to expand it and bring it to bursting with God’s goodness in the world around us without making it artificial.
Business Women’s Network – April
Today, we had a breakfast at That’s Amore´and heard a talk from a human resources professional, Michele Whitehead of Bershire Associates Inc. She is very detail oriented and gave an excellent talk about the many facets of operating a business, from this particular perspective.
Interiors by Carol Weil – CLW Designs
These are images from one of her latest remodels of a kitchen. She took a 70’s era kitchen and made it multo modern. I love the vertical exhaust of the hood and the tile surround.
Carol and I have been working together for a long time. She designs and I shoot ‘em. We have a great working relationship. She really has a strong drive to create the kind of home or office you want to show off. I’ve seen her take the character of her client and design their environment around that.
I got shot by a girl scout
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- I got shot by a girl scout