PORTRAIT: LEWIS JOSIAH

The smiles on mommy and daddy's faces say it all: elated to start a family, proud of their healthy son, and that every sleepless night taking care of Lewis has been completely worth the sacrifice. The baby was born on October 21 and 9 days later I was able to meet the family to take these newborn photos. After the shoot was over I was allowed to hold Lewis and it was one of the coolest experiences I've had in a while. Like his parents said as I was leaving, it's so crazy to hold such a little guy and to think, especially when he opens his eyes, that he is a person, with a personality, and will grow up to be totally unique. And I'm completely blown away by the miracle of new life and so blessed to be able to share in the joy of my friend's growing family.

WEDDING: JACQUI & DAVID

Wow. Where to start? Jacqui likes to smile and David is from Texas.

Maybe Jacqui likes to smile because she’s in love with David. I know other people like to smile when they are around her because she’s joyful and optimistic and fun. There came a day this past summer when David realized that he couldn’t live without seeing her smile every day for the rest of his life. And in Old Town Alexandria, at the site of their first date, he asked her to marry him without hesitation.

There was no question that the wedding should also be in Old Town. Jacqui and David planned it all out: getting ready at the Hotel Monaco, ceremony at The Athenaeum, and reception at Il Porto, the restaurant from their engagement and first date. I was stoked to find out that not only were they willing to see each other before the ceremony for a First Look, but they would plan almost 2 hours for photos before the wedding! Not being rushed through photos was a blessing for me and I think it shows with the quality of shots we got. Plus, David is ruggedly handsome and Jacqui is beautiful and likes to smile. So that helped too.

OK, enough mushy stuff. There were some other things that made this wedding really cool. 1) My second shooter was fantastic. Beki Gangi is one of the few people I know with the energy to keep up with someone like Jacqui and added a different creative perspective to the day. 2) I was able to put together a same-day slideshow during dinner so guests could see some of the photos shot earlier in the day. I wasn’t sure I could pull this off, but since Jacqui scheduled in time for us to eat, it worked out. 3) The DJ, Jack Seghetti, was great and kept me informed well before things were going to happen so I was prepared to get the shot. 4) Most of my friends in DC were there, so getting great shots of guests was too easy because I have photographed them all before. And my friends are above average in the looks department and fun-having department. 5) Jacqui’s Italian and Greek heritage made for some interesting points to the celebration from the wedding crown, to the menu choices, to the Windex spray exit tunnel. 6) Dave has been one of my closest friends since I moved out to DC and a Christian brother in the way Proverbs 27 describes it: iron sharpening iron. Letting me participate in his wedding creatively in this way was a highlight of my year. Dang it!—there I go getting mushy. Enough.

Congratulations Jacqui and Dave!

PIERSON FAMILY PHOTOS

Ridiculously adorable. Cute as a button. Just precious. Yes, Tim is all of these things. But so are his wife Liz and their little girls. I met the Piersons at one of their favorite local playgrounds to take some family photos last week. Don't they make parenting look fun?!! It was a perfectly overcast fall day—just right lighting, and Charlotte and Hannah were in the mood to play. Running between swings and slides, we were able to capture a few of the moments shared between father, mother and young daughters that make life so sweet.