WASHINGTON DC ENGAGEMENT: LAUREN & JONATHAN

Clients ask all the time when the best time to take photos on National Mall is. In the summertime, it's right around 6am. I hate saying it and they probably hate hearing it. I'm pretty sure that when I decided to start my own business one of the deciding factors was not having to get up with the sunrise. But then I get there, it's quiet, no tourists - just a few runners, and the light is interesting. Every time I'm there I start to think, "I should change my schedule and go to bed earlier," maybe I could experience some more sunrises. In California sunset is my favorite time of day. In DC, it's the sunrise.

Lauren and Jonathan met me down near Memorial Bridge, early. I liked working on these photos because they are a little different from my usual style of bright colors and strong contrast. Lauren likes vintage style and is planning her wedding to reflect that—which I'm really looking forward to. With these engagement photos I tried to go a little more dramatic with shooting straight into the sun, over-processing a bit, and slightly muting the colors. It's been fun to collaborate on the look of the photos, while being able to retain my own style and come up with something unique.

LIBERTY MOUNTAIN PENNSYLVANIA WEDDING: LAURA & KEVIN

Laura and Kevin are from Pittsburgh but live in DC, so Liberty Mountain was a great central choice for friends and family from both areas to make it to the wedding. I had known about Liberty as a winter destination—it's one of the closest places to DC to go snowboarding—but I didn't know how beautiful it is in the summer. There are lots of big trees, lots of wild flowers, and of course, mountains. The ceremony was held right against the base of the back side of the mountain and the reception was in the Boulder Ridge lodge, with massive windows looking out on nature.

With the idyllic backgrounds, slowly setting sun and beautiful wedding couple I knew we were going to get some great photos. But when they agreed that going up the climbing wall in formal clothing was a good idea, I knew we really had something special. Laura and Kevin have something special in each other and it was an honor to be there to capture it on their wedding day.

OCCOQUAN ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS: KATE & JASON

Right on the Occoquan River is a sleepy little town with a long history. Originally inhabited by native Americans, it was also home to some of the first British colonists, and later it's post office served an important function during the Civil War, intermediating mail between north and south.

Kate and I tossed ideas back and forth about where to shoot these photos, narrowing it down to places near water, and Kate suggested Occoquan. Neither of us had spent much time there so we weren't sure what we were getting into but Kate, Jason and I found some cool little spots along the river to do this engagement session. There's a footbridge over the river and a small waterfall, rocks, docks, and a few quaint parks.

The wedding is going to be legendary—any gathering of so many O'Malleys has to be—and we're cooking up a super secret post-wedding shoot that should be off the charts if we can pull it off.