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

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Point of Rocks Family Rockin' the Photo Session, Frederick County Maryland Photographer

This family lives in Point of Rocks and I've known them since their first born was was a toddler in my daycare. Since that time they have added to their family with the younger daughter and the girls are full of energy.  When asked the girls to run towards me they did not hesitate.  

Lots of personality 

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!

Waterford Fair 2013, Frederick Maryland Photographer

The Waterford Fair wrapped up and as it did I walked out with two ribbons for the two photographs I entered.  Pretty good odds, I'd say!

"Late Summer" was the Second Place winner in the Waterford Fair 2013 Portrait category for the Juried Photo Exhibit.  

"Freed Slave Property, 1879" Received Honorable Mention in the Loudoun County, VA Category at the Waterford Fair, 2013 Juried Photo Exhibit.  

Here are a few images from my time there on Saturday this year.

Waterford Fair, 2013

Display in front of a Waterford Residence

The Corner Store

Red Glass Transom

Fresh Eggs

Civil War Solider 

The General Store

To the Pointe Studio of Dance, Portraits by Point of Rocks Photographer

I am not sure where the time has gone, but seems like I've been wrapped up in photographing and editing and not any blogging.  Now that it really feels like summer outside it is the perfect time to sit in my cool office and put some images up to share.  

These were taken this Spring for To the Pointe Studio of Dance's recital, Away We Go.  The students were ages two and up and showed a lot of talent, personality and love of dance, music and theatrics.  I enjoyed being a part of the team and can't wait to see what the costumes and dances will look like for next year.  Don't you love all the bright colors in these portraits?

Growing up I took ballet and jazz and moved to modern while I was in high school.  As an adult I've gone back to dance and taken ballet, modern, hip-hop and practiced yoga.  The dance studio is a place I feel very much at home.  I can't wait to work with this group again.

Brunswick High School Senior Portraits, Frederick Maryland Photographer

A beautiful day to take this pretty teen out for her Senior Photo Session.  She has been to the Lander Road Lock House (located upstream from Point of Rocks and downstream from Brunswick High School) with her friends a lot over the years.  What a nice way to commemorate her senior year.   She is a sister, daughter, athlete and all around fantastic, young lady. (My sons would add she is a cool babysitter too).

Relaxed

Chill

Lander Road Lock House

Look at her blonde locks.

C&O Canal

She looks like a California Girl here transplanted to the shores of the Potomac River.

We couldn't help but call her a Flower Child.  She then told me she was born in the wrong era.

Her eyes are so striking-I did nothing to enhance them in this photo.

I LOVE this photo!

Her eyes even stand out in Black & White!

Pickles

Found Internet Photo

Today's Washington Post's Food Section has an article on one of my favorite treats, pickles, and it's growing pickling popularity. I can't help but think of my own upbringing, remembering my father setting his pickles out on the back deck to marinate.  I'm sure the recipe has a lot of the usual ingredients; salt, vinegar, cucumbers, fresh dill, pepper corns.  But I was always curious about the slice of bread he stuck in there and secretly questioned why he put a plate on top of the jar as it sat in the sun, rather than just to screw a lid on. I reasoned that he didn't know his way around the kitchen enough to find a lid for the jar so the plate was the next best thing.  The pickles would sit in the sun and when they were ready they didn't taste like the store brand or even my favorite typical NY Jewish style pickle.  They had a flavor all their own.

Years later while walking though the streets of Buda with my family I had an "a-ha" moment.  The old city of Buda (Budapest is divided by the Danbue and therefore called, Buda and Pest) is covered in cobblestoned streets surrounded by a castle and Baroque architecture.  Originally founded in the 13th century it went through many transformations as a city due to wars and bombings.  But it still retains the feel of a medieval city and takes the visitor back in time.  As we were walking I stopped in my tracks outside of a little restaurant with a table covered in a pretty, traditional Hungarian tablecloth.  Upon the table was a large jar of pickles and on top of the jar was a plate.  The maître d' asked if I wanted to see the menu, but I wasn't interested in dinner.  I just stared at that jar of pickles.  Finally it all made sense.  My father was just doing what those before him had done. When asked "Why the plate on top?" the reason is simply because, that's how it's done.

Found Internet photo

Andrea with the answer to why her father makes pickles the way he does.  2001

Baby Brother and Big Sister, Frederick County Maryland Children's Photographer

It says a little something when I show up for a morning photo shoot and one of the subjects is full of giggles and ready to go.  It helps that the big sister knows me and was excited to see me, but after showing my husband some of the photos from the session he asked, "Who's photo shoot was it?  Hers or the baby brothers?"  Don't worry we got plenty of her two month old baby brother as well.

Big Sister.  I love her freckles and sun-kissed nose.

Siblings

Baby toes 

You can tell big sis already enjoys her job.

More tootsies

Together

Classic!

Whenever I photograph babies it makes me a little sad that I didn't do the same with my own sons.  Babyhood is so brief, so you need to be sure you catch these little fingers, toes, lips, eyes and mouth before they change.