Womens Health rally on the National Mall

I love protests.  Truth is, regardless of what people are protesting about, I love photographing the excitement, the signs, and the passion people bring to their rallies.  Working just a few steps from the National Mall, I have many opportunities to get down there and capture some of the spirit.  It's a double bonus when the rally is about something I believe in. I Stand with Planned Parenthood The conservative movement in Congress has been waging a fight against womens health recently and it's up to regular old women (and men) to put a stop to it.  You can sign a petition and find out more information right here. After attending the rally, though, I'm not the least bit worried about womens health in America.  Planned Parenthood got something like six Congressmen up on the stage to speak - even as our government prepares to shut down.  That's a big deal.  Now, without further ado, the images:

Wiffle Ball on the National Mall

Sometimes it feels like college again.  Like when your friends and their friends and their friends all get together on the National Mall and play wiffle ball.  And then you go play beer pong in a basement.  It's not quite like college, though, because now there are married people.  And babies. Just a few from a recent outing.  These are good people.  Colin and Sara: one of my favorite couples ever - in black and white George and John: George and John doing the wiffle ball thing John waits for a good pitch Austin: playing wiffle ball on the national mall And here's Sai, proving that sometimes it is better to be behind the camera. sai plays wiffle ball sai hits the ball And, like I said, there were babies.  Okay, one baby.  But a baby cute enough to equal the attention-grabbingness of four babies. little baby in a tulane hat And I'll just put out there publicly that I am so grateful that it is finally starting to warm up.  I always feel like winter drags on and on but we're finally seeing temperatures hang around in the 50s during the day and I am *so excited* that summer is on the way!  I'm pumped for all my upcoming photography sessions too!  Warm weather = great times outdoors = great portraits.  Good times all around.

USA Science Festival | DC Event Photographer

George was really in his element today.  I volunteered as a photographer for the USA Science & Engineering Festival, a massive science fair that basically took over all of downtown Washington this weekend.  I cannot think of a single field that was not represented.  I'm talking huge - this festival not only took up three blocks' worth of the National Mall, but spilled with impressive size into Freedom and Wilson Plazas and over a sizable stretch of Pennsylvania.  It was a sight to be seen. Also, kids love science.  It's awesome and they know it.  So does my husband.  Yeah, that's him with the bubbles. I think he might have had more fun than the children. Mr. Wizard science fair solving puzzles - DC event photographer looking through microscope - DC events astronaut outfit - DC festival photographer Okay this was really cool.  The people in this booth used a cement mixer to get 10 pounds of corn starch into each gallon of water!  The resulting liquid has an enormous resistance to lateral pressure - in other words, you can walk on it.  The kids were having a blast doing this. kids running through cornstarch water - DC event photographer kids jumping science festival polymers forming in water - DC events Yeah, you read that right.  "Maggot Monet" consisted of the booth staff putting drops of paint on the paper and then letting maggots roll around in them and create streaks across the page.  None of the kids thought it was gross and I suppose one maggot, totally isolated from garbage or rotting stuff is kind of an okay thing. george playing with bubbles It was pretty awesome.  We'll definitely be back next year.