Earlier today I had the pleasure of photographing baby boy Logan, born just a little over a month ago. He was a beautiful child, one that let his personality show! He was stubborn, not wanting to sleep – he was determined to see what was going on around him, despite having been awake since 6 am. Sleeping babes are certainly the easiest to photograph, but despite his stubbornness we got some great shots. Something we might not have noticed if he’d slept the whole time: he has the most beautiful eyes! Wowzers. Mom and dad are clearly adoring, and I loved the opportunity to photograph this beautiful family. Mike came along to assist and he also nabbed some fanTAStic photos. Yes, my husband is clearly talented with a camera. (The shot below is his!)

(click photo for slideshow)

Earlier this evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with my friend Annelisa, a violist whom I first met at a chamber music jam session I hosted a couple of years ago. Annelisa told me at the beginning of the session that she “can’t do serious” and that she “always closes her eyes” in photos. I think we proved both to be untrue – although I think she WAS indeed laughing or smiling about 95% of the time, which just made the evening all the more fun. The light was DELICIOUS in Old Town Alexandria, and I found a beautiful alley that I *will* return to. As part of a headshot session I don’t normally include a slideshow, but Annelisa’s images were so fun that I just had to. (Incidentally I think this is also the fastest I’ve ever turned around a shoot, but I’m planning on painting tomorrow and Saturday and didn’t want to be distracted.)

(click on the image for slideshow)

Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking photos of the Roberts family. Such a photogenic bunch! Their two boys were absolutely adorable and so.much.fun. It was my first time shooting at Meadowlark Gardens, and I will definitely be going back. So many great spots! Though we rescheduled once for rain, and storm clouds threatened, the light was soft and dewey and we only got a few rain drops. This was a particularly fun shoot for me because my husband Mike assisted me – several of the shots in the below slideshow are his. He’s starting to learn the photography business, and I have to say that he has a fantastic eye and ability already.

Thanks for letting me take your pictures, Roberts fam!

(click on the photo for slideshow)

Today I had the pleasure of photographing the beautiful Brynne Elizabeth, born ten days ago. She was a doll to work with – so cheery and mellow. She just sat there while the dog ran around and I snapped photos. I loved the way she looked at her mom with joy and anticipation and the clear relationship they already had. At one point when I was taking photos of Brynne out on the deck, mom went inside for a minute and Brynne snapped out of her deep sleep to complain! A moment later when mom was back, Brynne was back asleep. Cutest thing!

(Click the photo for her slideshow.)

She looks at him with a twinkle in her eye and a smile dancing on her lips….so happy to be joining her life to the one she loves. He leans his forehead on hers, at peace. It’s their day, and it’s perfect. It’s been hot in Virginia recently, but the day was only moderately warm, comfortable in the breeze. The sky was blue and everything flowed.

Julia and Mark, your day was perfect. I feel entirely blessed and humbled to be the one lucky enough to capture your love. It’s only been twenty-four hours but I am sure your love will last for forever. Thank you for trusting me with your day, for giving me my first wedding, for inviting me into your love.

(click on picture for slideshow. Friends and family who would like to be notified when the wedding is released online, please click here.)

I was second shooter for my first wedding this weekend with my friend Kelly.

It was a lovely day, full of love, redemption, and photos!

I decided that weddings are loads of fun.

So the last few weeks have been crazy. I’ve played several concerts with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, which means rehearsals anytime I’m not teaching lessons, and falling into bed at night just desparate for sleep. In between concerts, we had a couple out-of-town friends stay with us.

All of which means I’m woefully behind on my self-portrait project. I have five, count them – FIVE – weeks to catch up on. Which I’m going to do in just one post. I figured it’ll be easier that way. Also to keep things simple, only one photo per week rather than a sampling of several. Gotta make this work however I can!

{3::52 Beginning}
This week’s photo reflect my newly begun exercise habit. Well, I don’t know if I can say it’s a habit yet, but I’m working on it. I was trying to capture how frustrated and hopeful, determined yet cautious I feel about regaining my health. Not sure if it worked.

{4::52 Rest}
After all the craziness, long days, lack of sleep, and exhaustion….rest.

{5::52 Awareness}
I like face pictures, not body pictures. Body pictures are hard for me, after the last seven years of struggling with chronic illness, feeling like I don’t control my body, like my body has betrayed me. I’m determined to work through some of that with this project.

{6::52 Drama}
There are a lot of things I don’t like about my appearance, and a few things I do. My eyes are one of those few things.

{7::52 Quiet}
Regaining my quiet.

A few words about narcissism:

A self-portrait project, like a blog, seems a bit like an exercise in narcissism. I have to ask myself, who wants to look at all these pictures of me? But ultimately I’m not doing it for anyone other than myself. Not because of narcissism (I hope), but because I need to see me…to see myself, for who I really am. Seven years of being sick means seven years of watching bits of myself slip away. It’s often felt like I have no identity. I mean, most people define themselves by what they do — and in my sickest moments, I’ve done nothing – does that mean I AM nothing?

As I regain my health I feel like I am regaining perspective on what makes an identity. It is not doing, ultimately. It’s not any of those things I feel like I’ve lost. What it is, I’m still figuring out, and that’s part of the point of this whole project. Not to have a bunch of portraits of myself, but somehow to begin to see myself for who I really am.

Week 2 of 52 weeks of my 29th year.

I’m discovering that self-portraits are not easy. Camera is on a self-timer; no one is behind the lens choosing a focus point. So, most of my shots turn out blurry. I have ten seconds after hitting the button to get to where I want to be for the shot. I’m thinking a remote would be very, very helpful for this project; I’ll have to look into that.

Today I took a bath, one of the calm places in my world. So, yeah, I had to take my first self-portrait photo of:

Hot baths, with some sort of detoxifying agent in the water (apple cider vinegar, epsom salts, baking soda, sea salt), are a crucial part of the healing protocol I’ve been on for the past nine months. The protocol mobilizes toxins in the body; the baths help sweat them out. I always feel better after a detox bath, yet I often forget to take them. This year I want to give myself the gift of letting go of all the toxins in me and around me.

Today is my day off in between two crazy weeks. Broth is simmering on the stove and I’m feeling the ever-increasing need to simplify, simplify, simplify. So today was a no make-up day. A tank-top and yoga pants day. A relax into my-self day.

This next shot turned out blurry but I liked it anyway. It was the one that I felt best captured me this week.

I’ve wanted to do a self-portrait project for a long time. A while back I read on Me Ra Koh’s blog about the self-portrait exercise they had participants do at her Discovery Workshop. She writes,

I often ask my clients to move freely, relax, while I’m taking photos of them. But how little freedom do I have with myself? And how can I lead someone to being free in front of the camera, if I don’t possess it?

Some may think self-portraits narcissistic, but I see them more as ways to self-discover. To really see one’s self. To see the changes over the course of time. To capture images that speak to where you are on a particular day or period of time.

The impetus to beginning my self-portrait project was my 29th birthday – a week ago today. There’s something about starting the last year of my 20’s that is making me reflective. It’s not because I’m going to mourn turning 30 – no, I think I will welcome it with open arms. I have not had the 20’s that most people do – “the best years of your life”, the health and physical ability that often declines with age. My thyroid problems started hitting me when I was 21, so it’s really been a decade of struggling through chronic illness. I haven’t felt young in a very, very long time.

But I promised myself something a few years ago when I was at my lowest point: it would get better. I would be healthier when I turned 30 than I had been through my 20’s. It has given me something to look forward to. I know that seems strange, most people dread turning 30 as though their youth and freedom is behind them. But to me it is quite the opposite. I’m looking forward to letting go of all the expectations I had of my 20’s {that did not get realized}.

So I want to capture this transition-year, this last year of being in a decade that has been less than kind to me and particularly to my body. I want my self-portraits to somehow capture that as I slowly become comfortable in my own skin.

So without further ado, here are my portraits from week one of fifty-two, on my 29th birthday, March 15, 2010.

I had heard about The Light Workshop some time ago and filed it away as “something I must do when I can get the money together.” Well, thanks to playing three concerts with the National Philharmonic this month and next, I have some extra cash. And as it turns out, she’s offering special discounts right now. I am beyond excited, especially as this will help me prepare for my first two weddings coming up in May and June.

The photos I am drawn to are the photos that have this magical way of playing with light. It’s like the “wow factor” that can be missing even with perfect exposure, great expression, even a wonderful captured moment. Sometimes it just “happens”, but I would love to know how to harness the power of light and actually know HOW to capture that magic wow factor, rather than just relying on chance and luck. I feel like this is my chance!

If it sounds like something you might be interested in, visit The Light Workshop for more details!