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?

C&O Canal Walk and Photo Session, Point of Rocks Photographer

I know this family very well, so a walk on the tow path at the C&O Canal was a good choice.  The boys have a lot of energy and enjoy running, jumping and playing with sticks. Getting them to sit still is another thing.  Using the example of the "Whack a Mole" game at the county fair is fairly close to accurate since the boys move so fast. Once you get one posed and then try to get the other, the first one is up and gone!  I've always admired their parents who handle it in stride.  The photos of them as a couple show their love and warmth for each other and their relaxed nature as their children play behind them. 

I admit I love photographing young children showing their age on their fingers.
My father did that with me as a child. 

Sometimes you just have to be silly!

Jump!

November Family Photo Session, Frederick Maryland Photographer

The weekend before election day, I met with this family in a pretty location outside of Adamstown, Maryland.  While the parents love black and white images I have to admit that the sweaters they wore lend themselves to great color photographs.  What do you think?  Black & white or color?  Or both?

Most of my photo shoots involve boys lately.  I have two boys of my own, so I'm similar with the dynamic of two brothers. This family's youngest started off a little quiet and serious, yet by the end of the session he was mugging for me.  Plus, what little boy doesn't want to fly?  Take a look….

The Running of the Trains, Frederick Maryland Photographer

We are fortunate to have a friend and neighbor down the road who opens his yard to us to enjoy his model train tracks.  We meet him several years ago when I was the Chair of the Garden Club in Point of Rocks. Pat hosts open house days in which his train enthusiast friends come to ride trains on the track and the rest of us take in the show.  Last week as we were passing by his house, Liam asked when we could visit him.  Luckily he had an open house planned for today.  Pat has built and designed a lot of the structures and has large boxes to protect and cover them during bad weather.  In winter the cars and figures are taken inside.  Here are some photos from it.  

The bottom picture shows where I want to go on vacation (in the little cottages with a red Beetle in front) with the waterfall and water wheel roaring behind.

Above right: Logging  
Above Left: Church
Bottom: I took this photo for my friend Donna as this reminds me of the gas station her grandfather owned in Florida.

Bottom photo was my favorite of the day.  Entrance over a wooden bridge to my favorite little cottages. 

Liam and Luke give you a little bit of perspective in the size of the train and the track.  In fact it's much bigger than the photos show.  They ran around waiting for the trains to round the turns, enter and exit the tunnels and study the town.  

If you are interested in Trains check out my blog post from when we spent the weekend in a Caboose in Natural Bridge, Virginia.

Part 2 of Sculpting with Paul Rhymer, Frederick MD Photographer

Part 2 of sculpting bronze figures with Paul Rhymer. 

Step 1: Sculpt in wax (1st photo with new iPhone)

Step 2: Dress up in funny outfits 

Step 3: Wait for mom to finish covering wax figures with ceramic

Step 4: Burn out wax

Detail of wax melting

Step 5: Have Paul pour with 2000 degree melted bronze

Step 6: Crack Ceramic off bronze figure

Step 7: Admire figure

Luke cracking ceramic

Luke enjoyed this aspect

Hanging out at Paul & Carolyn's pond looking at fish, tadpoles and frogs...notice his sculptures in the background.