LONDON FLETCHER AT REDSKINS PARK

Last month I was given the opportunity to photograph one of the Washington Redskins, London Fletcher, as part of the cover story for On Tap Magazine. London is a middle linebacker, a Pro-Bowler, a 12-season veteran and a standup guy in the DC community. Due to his busy schedule, I had less than 5 minutes to capture a few options that would make good covers. I set up my little speedlights and a background and took some test shots of myself. Obviously, my skin tone is a little different from his, so it took some tweaking to get right. You can see from the photos above that we tried a few poses—he wasn't up for doing anything too crazy—but we were able to make it work! I did the graphic design for this cover too and you can pick it up at just about any bar or restaurant in the DC metro area.
Unfortunately, I don't really follow the NFL so I didn't know who the players were as I wandered around Redskins Park (the team's training facility) and ran into guys in the cafeteria, the weight room and coming out of the locker room and from team meetings. But even still, I feel so blessed that every once in a while the way I make a living includes hanging out with sports heros and celebrities!

ENGAGEMENT: ERIN & DON

Erin & Don woke up early one morning last week so we could catch some pretty light as the sun was rising over the capitol. Usually, I try my best to let the sun rise before I do. But since this early wake up call meant hanging out with these guys—it was worthwhile. Positively classy and simultaneously unpretentious, Erin and Don have quickly become friends and I'm really really looking forward to photographing their wedding in April. We had a fun time capturing some silly moments and pretending to be serious for some of them. And many thanks to Erin's sister Maria for wrangling Phebe (their dog) and helping to convince her to sit still for a few seconds!

PORTRAIT: ASHLEY

Ashley is a great friend, a gifted writer and a tireless worker with numerous volunteer and charitable causes including serving the veterans at Walter Reed and fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association. I had a blast hanging out in Annapolis for the afternoon with her and catching up on the exciting things she has going on. In November she will be playing in a Blondes vs. Brunettes flag football game to benefit the Alzheimer's Association and could use some help in meeting her fundraising goals. If you'd like to donate a few dollars to the cause and attend the game check out this LINK!
To find out more about Ashley, visit her website: www.ashleyestill.com

LEGG MASON TENNIS

Semifinal Match.
Marcos Baghdatis (no. 20) vs. Xavier Malisse (no. 51)

WEDDING ALBUM SAMPLE

A few days ago a particularly exciting package arrived in the mail. It was my new sample wedding album! And it is beautiful! Last year, when I first started thinking about offering albums as a part of my photography business, I did A LOT of research looking into the highest quality and best value albums out there. Finao Albums impressed me with both their matted albums and their flush mounted albums in the quality of materials used, the options to customize, and the price points relative to other album companies. Because of the high quality, durability and "wow" factor necessary for wedding albums, they are a significant investment for any couple planning a wedding. I think it is important for couples to be able to see the quality of the photos and to feel the leathers on the cover and to feel the weight of the book before deciding that an album is a worthwhile investment and something that will be treasured long after the wedding is over. So, I'm excited to have this sample to bring with me when I meet with clients now!

The albums come in every color and texture imaginable and range in size from 8 x 8 inches to 11 x 14 inches. The photos for this particular album style can run across two pages seamlessly, allowing HUGE photos to be displayed. Hopefully, these photos give you an idea of how awesome this album is.