Thank you to my primaries

It's been a crazy, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, balls-to-the-wall, non-stop year. I've grown immensely as a photographer and as a business owner and things just keep getting better and better. I really can't express how grateful I am to the photographic community at large and the wedding photography community specifically for being so open, helpful and generally fantastic all the time. I have so so much to be thankful for and I haven't even stopped talking about my business yet. But even more specifically, I want to take this opportunity to dedicate my Thanksgiving to the amazing primary photographers I have worked with this year who have shared their knowledge, time and lenses.  I had the great pleasure of seconding for some amazing people this year and wanted to take a minute to say thank you. Of course my first shout-out has to go to the indomitable Cassidy DuHon.  I have learned so much and had so many opportunities to grow because of Cassidy and I can't thank him enough for taking me under his wing.  Some of my favorite portfolio images come from weddings I photographed with him, like this frame from Chloe and Aaron's gorgeous Museum for Women in the Arts wedding. wedding photography at National Museum for Women in the Arts I'm looking forward to new adventures ahead with Cassidy.  I have no doubt you'll continue to hear about him on the blog. Huge shout-out also to the incredibly spunky Tara Welch, who has become a dear friend.  I only worked with Tara on two weddings this year but they were both amaaaazing weddings.  I'm so sad she's moving away this year.  It's DC's loss and Austin's enormous gain.  Here's a frame from Caroline and David's incredible Woodend wedding - my favorite venue in the entire region. wedding photography at woodend nature preserve Also huge thank-you to Kelly Prizel.  Again, I only worked with Kelly on a handful of weddings, but they were all really awesome weddings and Kelly's clients are so friendly, laid-back and generally wonderful people.  Kelly has been incredibly open and helpful and been a great resource for me.  Here's a frame from Jessica and Katie's Barns at Wolf Trap wedding.  I loved the simplicity and earnestness of this wedding - no pretensions, just a great time with great people. Barns at Wolf Trap wedding photography Ayesha Ahmad photographs the most fantastic Indian, Paki and Bangladeshi weddings, as well as the "regular" weddings the rest of us do.  I had the great satisfaction of accompanying Ayesha to two amazing weddings this year.  One of them was a 600-person extravangaza at the National Building Museum.  The other, at the Baltimore Renaissance, featured the groom coming in on a horse!  I don't want to jinx myself, but I have to admit I don't expect too many of those in my career. indian wedding at baltimore renaissance hotel Big props to Sam Hurd, who had me along for one of my favorite weddings of the year - Katie and Mark's serene event at Rodes Farm Stables.  I was blown away by Sam's work on that wedding - he saw the scene in a very different way than I did.  Sam is a freakin' force to be reckoned with. wedding at rodes farm stables in charlottesville, va Also want to send a big thank you to Charlotte Geary.  I worked with Charlotte late last year at Stephanie and Dave's Rust Manor House wedding.  I still get a lot of compliments on the image below - pure luck, I assure you, but one of my favorite portfolio images nonetheless.  Charlotte has been an amazing resource to me since then and a trusted adviser of sorts.  I was thrilled when she moved to the area.  I get to see her all the time now, when she can pry herself from her amazing little baby. wedding photography at Rust Manor House, Leesburg, VA And finally, two more people to thank, though I haven't been able to blog the images yet.  To Erin Lassahn and Abby Jiu: thank you for trusting me and being so cool to work with.  Both of you do stunning work in very different styles. And folks, if you're with me this far, thanks to you for reading!  As you can see, I've had some incredible opportunities this year to work with outstanding photographers.  It's been busy busy busy as I've been out with my camera basically every single Saturday this entire year (with a few double headers!) and I'm looking forward to a more relaxed winter before things pick up again next Spring. To all my primaries: best of luck with the booking season and I hope to work with all of you again next year!

That one time at Dino

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I'm a foodie.  I eat.  I eat a lot, that's true, but more than eating quantity, I want to eat variety.  Give me a tasting menu any day.  If it's weird, I want to try it.  I'm not the girl that gets the caesar salad everywhere to "compare".  No, I want the broiled squid or the oxtail or something with the word "reduction" in it.  I'm rarely so happy as when I am tasting. This one time, my husband and I were supping at Dino, a delightful little Italian restaurant in Cleveland Park.  David (my best friend) and I had a killer dinner there during Restaurant Week and I was hoping to recreate it with the hubs.  And the truth is, I have no idea what I ordered or what George ordered.  I have this vision in my mind of very crusty bread and a generous dish of olive oil to dip in but everything else from our plates is gone.  (If you go, you must search out the white anchovies - absolutely divine but absent from the menu on this occasion). Also, I remember that there was a very attractive (sorry George, but he was!) man sitting next to us reading the paper.  He noticed us taking interest in his burrata (like fresh mozzarella) when it came out.  We chatted for a bit and then he offered me a taste.  I paused for far longer than is appropriate and then declined.  No, no, he insisted, I really must try it.  I glanced at George, who clearly thought I was the rudest person on earth.  Please, he said.  So I tried his burrata, but on the condition that he try my dish.  I did, he did.  And that was the time I ate off a complete stranger's plate at a restaurant. In other news, here is a photo I took in Buzzard's Bay, Cape Cod.  It doesn't have anything to do with Dino or eating, but it is recent.  Many good travels, my friends. antique store in buzzards bay

Boston Lighthouse

I think I've probably done enough talking about all my travels, but wanted to share this image I took as my plane landed in Boston.  I didn't even realize what was on the rocks down there when I was taking it - just liked the starkness of the scenery.  As we passed it, I realized it was a lighthouse and got kind of excited about the frame.  It's interesting how different the world looks from up high. boston lighthouse