While I was in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, I fit in a great portrait session with Mel & Zach at the Desert Botanical Gardens.  The DBG was actually on my to do list and although I missed the Chihuly exhibit (both in Chicago and Phoenix) there were still a couple pieces left for me to oogle.

Mel and Zach met me bright and early as the DBG opened and we had fun cavorting around the different gardens and walking the different paths.  Their portrait session was a wedding gift from Mel’s sister-in-law.  I know I had fun with them and I am positive Mel and Zach had fun too.

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This photo, taken at my December 31, 2008 wedding in Arizona, placed 9th in the Venue or Location category of the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers Spring 2009 contest.

www.ispwp.com

East Coast. Chesapeake Bay. Ceremony on the waterfront. Late afternoon sunlight dappling through the trees. A bride and groom truly in love. Guests from across the world. This is the stuff love is made of!  Anton hails from Capetown, South Africa, as did many of his guests.  Mandy grew up in Potomac, MD.   Anton transferred to the states for work a few years ago, met Mandy, fell in love, they got married.  Now begins the happily ever after.

All of the thought and effort that went into the planning of this special day showed through.  The location, the wedding party members, the guests from both near and far, the lovely weather for the outdoor cocktails, the toasts, the dancing the night away.  Guests commented about the love and emotion Mandy and Anton showed during the ceremony. That the ceremony was very “them.” That this was not just another wedding, this was a distinctive and memorable event.

See the full gallery and slide show.

Ceremony & Reception: The Oaks Waterfront Inn, St Michael’s, MD

Florist: Seasonal Flowers, Trappe, MD

DJ: Mark Savage, Easton, MD - savage@goeaston.net

Cake: Julie Bakes, Eason, MD

Sofia’s portrait session marked the final session during my studio kick-off week. And I must say it was a great success! Sofia is a darling almost 3-year-old and she was no where near shy. She danced. She jumped. She smiled. She spun circles around me.  And you all thought I was high-energy!

Kyle. Kaleb. Mikeala. Three times as much fun as a solo baby portrait session. Thank goodness I had the help of both mom & dad and my lovely associate, Kira.  Three babies can stage a coup on just one photographer!  And they are each smiley and genuinely happy in their own way.  Kaleb is a mobile flirt, Kyle is mastering the toothy grin (with all two teeth) and Mikaela is sweet and demure.

The triplets are almost a year old, Happy Birthday kiddos!

Delainey was the third newborn portrait session last week! Something in the air you think? Delainey was delightful and awake and bright eyed for some photos and sleepy and pliable for the rest. Her big sis, Maddie, joined in for a few.  The last time I photographed Maddie she was 5 weeks old!

You probably cannot tell from the photos but Lyla was not a fan of my studio. I think I’ll have a heart to heart chat with her when she gets a bit older.  She doesn’t need to know just yet that her older beagle siblings, Boomer and Jersey, were just delightful in front of my camera last October during Furry Fotos.

Our cool neighbors across the street added a new addition to their family, Charlie the English Bulldog! Congrats Wojo’s, he is the smushiest, most adorable, wrinkly, little pup. I expect him to be BFF’s with Mater in no time.

Meet Dominic.  I’m absolutely positive you’ll find him as charming and cute as I did during our portrait session last week!

Thomas celebrated turning one week old during his first portrait session with Metropolitan Imageworks, but his ease in front of the camera made it seem like he had been doing this forever.  We captured faces and smiles and lots of hand movements. And of course snuggles from his older sister, Lucy the beagle.