Self-Portraits in conjunction with The 52Frames 2015 Project

Here are some of my self-portraits from the first part of the year while working on the 52 Frames Photo Project.  The themes are listed under the photograph.

#52Frames

"Silhouette"

"Greetings from…"

"Reflection"

"Single Light Source"

"Dress-Up as Microwaving Housewife"

 Last night I dreamt that I missed the deadline for a Challenge.  Luckily it was a dream-I've been working on this project without missing a week since January of 2014.

"Coordinating Colors-Fashion"

Family Photo Session at Sugarloaf in the Fall, Frederick County Photographer

Sugarloaf Mountain in the fall is bustling with hikers, families and rock climbers.  It holds a special place in my heart. Not only did I spend afternoons of my childhood hiking thorough it's leaves but I was also married on the mountain. A Chicago developer wanted Frank Lloyd Wright to design a parking garage for motorists in the shape of a spiral, similar to an upside down Guggenheim Museum on the mountain.  While I love Wright's architecture I am so glad that idea never came to pass.  

When one of my clients asked me to photograph their family again this fall, I suggested Sugarloaf due to it's various backdrops and fall colors.  I think their son and dog want to go back and have more time for exploring.  Here's a sampling of the session.

A boy and his dog

Family and the East Vista

Hamlet!

This boy loves to laugh!

Every kid loves a piggyback ride!

Great-Grandfather's Suit, Frederick County Photographer

My good friends and neighbors asked me to photograph their son before he grew out of his Great-Grandfather's suit.  It's well over 100-years old and has fine details, such as a leather button on a chain and a red cravat.  It made for the perfect photo session, especially on this little man.  Maybe it's because I know him, but this was one of the easiest photo sessions with a child ever.  It has been suggested that this is the kick off to his modeling career.

I stepped outside with him and he grabbed the umbrella which was drying out from the rain.
This was the first shoot of the morning.
After I took it, I declared, "I'm done.  I got the shot!"  Of course I'd take many more.

What a simple prop can do. 

Gone fish in'.  Yet, another prop he picked on his own.

His mother and father make a good comedy team.

Sometimes you need to work with what you have one hand.  We almost forgot to put him in his car.

A Stop on the Underground Railroad at Cooling Springs Farm, Frederick County Photographer

Along a winding country road I pass a lovely farm on my way to work.  I've known of the farm's history but never had a chance to explore it until the other week.  I have always wanted to photograph the farm, especially when their tenants in the front field were out grazing.  The miniature donkeys are no long there, but the beauty still remains.

I contacted Peter Michael and asked if I could photograph in his field for my 52 Frames assignment featuring Furniture.  He obliged and met us in his front yard at about 8am on a beautiful spring morning.  He is the 8th generation to live in the house and farm, which is known to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad.  Situated just 2 miles north of the Potomac River slaves seeking freedom were able to use the spring house on the Michael property for shelter before venturing north.

Here are some of the resulting images (with and without furniture).  Many thanks to Mr. Michael for letting me, my friend and our boys play in fields!  As the kids climbed on the hay bales I asked if it was okay, and he replied, "That's what a farm is for. "  For more information visit the Cooling Springs Farm website.

The image I used for 52 Frames, "Furniture"

The Spring House

The Approach from the South

Heading North

I invited my friend and our boys to come.  The boys explored the creek and spring house, jumped on hay bales and even played musical chairs.  

This image will printed large for both sets of brothers.

Can you hear the music?

52 Frames, January 2014, Frederick County, Maryland Photographer

The "52 Frames" project is a collaboration of artists from around the world, sharing the best of their weekly-work, according to different themes.  Below are my first several weeks in the project, with the theme listed as the title.  I received a photo critique as well for my Black and White image.  

Week 1 "Self-Portrait"

Week 2 "In the beginning…."

Week 3 "Black & White"
Photo Critique about this image may be viewed here (at the 4:00 mark).

Week 4 "Greetings from…."

Week 5 "Out of MY Comfort Zone"

Teen Photo Session Mini Accordion Album, Products from Point of Rocks Photographer

I got to give this graduated high school senior her images from her spring photo session tonight.  The three mini accordion albums were a little gift, that she wasn't expecting. 

Cover

Interior Back

Interior Back

Back

Frederick High School Senior-2013, Frederick County Maryland Photographer

We picked the perfect autumn weekend for this photo session.  We ended up changing our location at the last minute from the C&O Canal Tow Path to Sugarloaf Mountain instead and I'm glad we did.  The leaves were in the height of fall colors and the surroundings gave us plenty of pretty backdrops.

Tristan is a Senior at Frederick High School and runs Cross Country. In fact he was getting up at 4am the following day to run in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC.

I had a great time with Tristan, his mother and grandmother and he was a good sport as we teased him about girls and trying to look warm on an otherwise chilly fall day.

I can't wait to share these images with his family! Enjoy!