New kid in town...

There's this really amazing wedding photographer in Monterey, CA that folks in the DC area should take notice of - her name is Stephanie Millner, and the link to her site is over on the right side of this page. Why should you notice her, you may ask? Because she's about to move to the area. I want to be the first to welcome her to DC, and also the first to say (since she's moving in June): it's not the heat... it's the humidity. :)

In other news - the aforementioned talent Stephanie is also a designer, and she gets full credit for coming up with my logo. After many hours of sending minute changes back and forth, we've come up with this, and I love it.




And for those of you wanting to see some actual pictures, here's one from my most recent session. Such a nice family, and a beautiful baby.

early morning maternity session

I don't normally shoot at 8:30 in the morning, because I am not a morning person, in so many ways (for example, I'm writing this at 1:35 am, and could easily stay up for a few more hours!) But sometimes, that's the best time of day for a baby whose day starts much earlier than that. Today's shoot started out a little rocky - tears as soon as she entered the studio! Oh no! But after a quick ride in the swing, and a lot of tossing upside down and tickling, she was happy and smiling.

This has been such a fun family to work with. I've been documenting her pregnancy since the first trimester, and the sessions quickly went to a combination photo session/playdate for our girls. I can't wait to meet the new baby!

Spring!

is finally here. The pollen seems to be gone, and we can have the windows open all night. It's fabulous. Josie has discovered that grass isn't so scary after all. Only a month ago, I put her on a blanket in the back yard, and she refused to leave the blanket. She did NOT like grass and no way, no how, was she going to crawl around in it. And then she did. And found there was an infinite world of things that she could almost choke on (okay, maybe that's just how it seems to me).
And Ian got a haircut! People barely recognize him. I like it alot, but I miss his little boy hair. I know it will grow back, but still...


Here's a preview of one of our new cards that will be coming out soon. We are now doing these gorgeous trifold cards. I love them. I want everyone to order them, just so I have an excuse to play around and design them.

Tempers fidgit

Wow - how did May get here so fast?! We are all in the throes of DC allergies - a good rain would be very welcome at this point! Ian was in his first school play (and was fabulous, of course!) and Josie took her first few steps. She's still walking on one knee, looking all the world like she's fencing someone. I had a week or two where it was actually fairly slow, but I have learned from history! This time, I embraced the downtime. I did not immediately rush out and try and fill it with personal projects. And it was nice! We actually got to spend some weekend time together as a family. Granted, it was mostly spent sorting things out for our big yard sale next week, but hey, quality time is quality time, right? :)

I know it's a little early to start thinking about these things, but I'm going to try something new this year for holiday portraits. Some other photographers and I are getting together to do a one-weekend fundraiser to benefit several local organizations that help children. I hope to have everything organized by July. It will be a nice way to give something back to the community, and I'm really excited about it. I can't wait until we start promoting it!

Have a happy Mother's Day!

Here are a few recent pics from the studio -

Tiny fingers!

This was from a location session on Saturday. I usually work in the studio, because I love to be able to totally control my light. But this session had to be done on location - the baby was a preemie. She's doing great and the parents are doing so wonderfully with her. I really enjoyed this shoot. It was fun to break out of my element a little bit. Or rather, go back to my old element. All my documentary work was like this. It's always a challenge going someplace new, looking for the best light you can use. It's a different creative process from studio work, but I enjoy it just as much.

Website update and a few new pics

Yes, the site is still down. I'm working on it. Every time I decide to update the website, I'm convinced (deluded?) that I'll be able to finish it in one weekend. I think this is because I put my first site up in one pre-child marathon weekend, many, MANY, years ago. Alas, I don't have quite the time that I think I do. So the site is still down. And it will be up and running again, soon, I promise! If you are looking for a particular type of image, please feel free to drop me an email. I'm happy to send you some images. In the meanwhile...

Here are two from a maternity shoot last night.

Enjoy!

The last snaps from her birthday

I'd promise, but I'd probably be fibbing. :)

She gets it from me. :)

My baby turned 1!

Josie's birthday was yesterday, and we celebrated in style. First, I got to sleep in (I *was* a big part of her birth, after all). Then we went to IHOP, for one of her favorites - pancakes. After that, we thought it would be really fun to sit in rush hour traffic for an hour or so with the kids, on our way to see the cherry blossoms. Last year, right before she was born, this was one of the last things we did with just the three of us. I will always think of Jos when I see them now. I also will always think of her and Ian whenever I hear the song Easter Island Head, because we listened to it about a thousand times last year, and as part of a new tradition, again this year! After Haines Point, we came home so she could nap. Dinner was routine, but it was followed with vanilla ice cream (that she got to eat by herself), and presents. Ian particularly liked the presents, since his job was to help her open them. And of course, afterwards, bath and bed. An all round good first birthday, I think!

New Website

I'm in the midst of switching hosts. Those of you who know me have surely heard me complain about the myriad of problems I've had, so I'm finally jumping ship, and going to Axishost. Or rather, going back to Tina Peters, wherever she's working. (Her hosting company was my very first host, and it was fabulous.)

So, in the meanwhile, the website might be down, or look a little strange as I try and figure out what I want it to look like this time around. (Feel free to contribute ideas!)

Busy weekend!

I have four sessions this weekend - this is from the second. The baby is only 8 days old, and he was adorable! I *love* newborns. I wish people would just stop by here on the way home from the hospital :)

Kissables Panel - what a cutie!

I love doing these. He was so cute, I had a hard time narrowing it down to 9 images.

Saturday session

We took this series at the end of the session, and almost didn't do it! I wasn't sure I'd like the dress (more formal than I usually do, since most of my babies are wearing just a diaper cover, if anything!), and the baby was starting to get tired. But we gave it a shot, and it's my favorite image from the whole session. :)

Pregnancy project

So I've been working on a new project - documenting several women as they change during their pregnancy. We're about halfway through - a few have dropped out of the project, but several are still coming in, and it's going great. I love the idea of watching how these women change - most of my maternity portraits are done right at the end - I don't get to see the before and during, just the end. I'm not sure how it's going to look in the end - I think I'm going to do one large image with composites of everyone at the same point in their pregnancy. But then again, I might do something completely different. That's the nice thing about this being MY project - I'm the only one I have to make happy!

This is an image from one of the sessions (and a combo playdate with our daughters - I love it when my clients have kids the same age as mine!)

Cheers!

Local Girl Makes Good!

Okay, so the title is a little corny, but that's how I feel about the print competition I just entered.

Last weekend (weekend before last?) I went to the annual VPPA state convention. The trade show was fantastic - I saw some really amazing products that we're going to be offering. Gorgeous albums, printed quilts, custom jewelry. Oh, and these beautiful huge canvas portraits - close ups of kids faces - that I just can't wait to do. Once again, my kids will have to be the guinea pigs while I try something new.

One of the things that I love about these conventions is the print competition. There were over 400 entries - all made by fantastic photographers. I entered six images in competition and received ribbons for everything. Five hung in the exhibit, and one image, Tough Guys, earned a blue ribbon and a merit seal. The four best images will continue on to the SEPPA convention and competition, and if they do well there, on to the national PPA competition, where I'm hoping to garner another merit or two (After earning 25 Merits, a photographer may earn his/her “Master of Photography” degree from the PPA. ) So, yeah, I'm pretty pleased.

The main reason I go to these conventions, though, is the education seminars. I'm always looking for ways to bring you better, more creative images, and who better to learn from than the pros? Again, I can't wait to incorporate some of the ideas from the seminars - it's going to be a great year!

Go Micah Go!

This is an excerpt of a post* from Micah Salb, a DC attorney, parent, and all round good guy:

I am very pleased to announce that Councilmember Graham introduced the breastfeeding protection act today!  Based on a sage recommendation by a local mom, the Councilmember agreed to our suggestion to call the bill the Child's Right to Nurse Human Rights Amendment Act of 2007.

Councilmembers Schwartz, Barry, and Brown all cointroduced the Bill and Councilmembers Cheh, Wells, Gray, Catania, and Evans have cosponsored the Bill!  That means we have nine of the councilmembers' support right out of the gate!

And none of this would be possible but for the support of the dozens  of  folks  who called and emailed their councilmembers on this important Bill.  In fact, it is interesting for me to watch as skepticism and disinterest turned into support based on community action.

One of the most important accomplishments was Councilmember Graham's success in maneuvering to get the Bill assigned to the Workforce Development and Government Operations Committee, chaired by Councilmember Schwartz.  That means that the Bill WILL advance.  But since it is budget season, it is unlikely that anything will happen until April or May.

The next step will be for Councilmember Schwartz to hold a hearing sometime in the Spring. That is when we will mobilize again to get the legions to show up in droves to testify.  After the hearing, Councilmember Schwartz will finalize the bill and have the committee mark it up (vote on it). Then it goes to the full Council for two votes.

Stay tuned!   And please contact me if you have any stories of difficulties that you have   faced at work or in the community when you breastfed.     -Micah Salb



I think what he's doing is great.  I personally never had anyone challenge me on nursing my children in public (well, other than my mom, but that's a whole other can of worms), but I've heard of others who have, and I find the whole situation appalling.  If you have any stories to share, please feel free to post them here, or if you prefer, email them to me and I'll pass them along to Micah.


*Posted on the DC Urban Moms listserv, and excerpted with explicit permission from Micah Salb.

Congratulations to Julio and Graciela!

Who just had twins! I can't wait to see the babies.

It's all about the drool, baby!

Ian and Duckie

Trying to take a holiday picture

But I got sidetracked and just had some fun with the kids in the studio.

I watched a special on Annie Leibowitz on PBS earlier. Wow. Okay, I'm feeling pretty inept now. She really is amazing.

My new New Year's Resolution is to get better.

Cheers!

-e

Drat. This thing won't let me upload pics. I'll try again from another browser. Back in a sec. I hope.

Happy New Year!

Okay, so it's been six weeks since my last confession, er, post. It's been a little busy around here. Apparently, the word is out in Arlington, and I've been discovered. That sounds a little braggy, but it's what it feels like. And I'm thrilled, believe me. But I felt bad that we didn't do as much for the kids with the holiday stuff as I had hoped to do. Then again, I never do as much as I plan to do. Those of you who know me know that I like to plan. :)

So - what is your New Year's Resolution? I decided to give up the ghost on the recycled resolutions of years past - lose weight, exercise more, be more organized, blah blah blah. Don't we all have those same resolutions? I decided to make mine a little more attainable on a daily basis. The big one for me is to go to bed before midnight every night. EVERY night. I swear, this can't be as difficult as it seems. Other people are tired at night. Surely, I can figure out a way to be in bed my midnight. And my next one is to try to have a longer fuse. I'm going to be more laid back about everything. Not gonna sweat the small stuff. I don't want my kids to remember me as being perpetually cranky. Maybe if I get more sleep, I'll be less snappish. The best resolution I've ever seen, however, is Ian's. We were explaining the whole concept to him last night. He thought about it a while and in all seriousness, said, "My resolution is to not kill you and eat you for dinner." Okay then! If he weren't 5 and into monsters and dinosaurs, I might be more concerned. But I'm not going to sweat it. It's probably not serious. :)

Onto the photo stuff - here are a couple pics from my first shoot of the new year. Oh, actually, no, that's night right. It's my last shoot of last year. New babies at both ends. Tomorrow I'll post pics of my first baby in 2007. This is Frederico. He's tiny and beautiful and I can't believe my Josie is three times his size, when she still feels tiny to me.

And for those of you wondering why you never got a Christmas card from me, well, December was a little crazy. I'm doing New Year's cards. Or possibly President's Day. (That's the one in January, right?) Definitely by Valentine's Day. Soon. I swear.

Happy New Year!

finally calm again...

"Febrile Seizure" is not something you ever want to hear in reference to your own child. Ian had a cold and croup. Josie caught the cold. Scott caught the cold. I caught the cold. No big deal. Until Josie spiked a fever, had a seizure, and ended up in the ER. I'll say this about Arlington Hospital - they were fabulous. We weren't there for 30 seconds before we had four doctors and nurses working on Josie trying to help her. I was a mess, but they were great. Ian's feeling better now (after missing a week of school) and Josie seems to be doing much better, too. I love fall, but I hate how quickly we all get sick.

On the photo end of things, it's looking pretty busy until December. I promised Scott I wouldn't shoot in December, and so far, it looks like I'm going to be able to keep my promise. (I do have an exception for newborns, of course. They don't wait.) I think I'm actually going to be able to get my floors done. Hardwoods in the studio! Very exciting.

I took a few pics of Kris's daughters. Kris is my business partner. We were playing around with some tutu's. Her kids crack me up. I particularly like the one with the Groucho glasses. I have this fantasy of doing a huge family portrait, and *everyone* (including the dog) wearing Groucho glasses. A girl can dream...

Sophia - 8 weeks

Today was such a fun shoot. I love brand new babies. This baby was amazing - we shot for nearly 3 hours and she never cried!

Halloween

Ian the bumblebee and Josie (and Scott, of course). It's kind of hard to tell, but Josie is a candy corn. I made the costume for Ian when he was 2 months old. Josie is 7 months, and it fits her perfectly. Ian graciously wore his old costume when it was pretty clear that I was NEVER going to finish his Woodstock costume by Halloween. He suggested we do it for next year. I just might finish it by then. Maybe. :)