Anna & Adam, part ii

There are so many things that were great about my session with Anna and her fiance Adam. But the greatest of all -- the deepest realization I came away with -- is that that I honestly, truly enjoy this kind of photography. I started this digital program with the thought that I love looking at engagement and wedding photography, so surely I like shooting it, right? But while I'd taken plenty of casual shots of my friends, I'd never actually done portraiture with subjects I didn't previously have a close relationship with. Until Adam and Anna - who were the best first couple a gal could ask for!
Here are a few more of my very favorites:



















So it turns out I really like this stuff! I am beyond psyched for the next one. You guys know anyone in the DC area tying the knot? Send them my way. I can't wait to keep getting better at this thing.

Anna & Adam

I had the greatest evening: my long-awaited, weather postponed, engagement session with Anna and Adam.

They are such a real, energetic couple. It was big fun to hang out with them, to shoot their gorgeous, hip faces. And of course, nothing is better than traipsing around down by the Potomac, finding cute little nooks. AND these two met playing kickball! It's sooo DC. I love it.

I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into the shots. So here is one to tide us all (me) over.



More to come!

artist boys

These somewhat greasy, wild-looking boys were hanging around the Baldacchino Gypsy Tent bar at this year's Capital Fringe Festival.





I don't even the mind the GLARING NOISE. Let's call it grain.
I was captivated by their fly-away hair, skinny elbows and sweaty, glowing faces.

a roll

Digital photography, and more specifically digital editing software is incredibly powerful. When expertly yielded, it is amazing what can be done. Even in my amateur, fumbling hands, there is a very evident change in the specificity and crispness of my work.

But I still like film, miss film. I've mostly given it a rest since beginning this digital photography program, but I've had a roll in my camera since maybe April that I've finally gotten developed. Film just has so much character. Such imperfection. A bunch of shots from this roll even have a weird scratch on them -- I should probably get my camera checked out. But I don't mind! Isn't that great? It's what makes them unique! No one else's camera will make that little scratch.

Some of my favorites. April through July.















I got some snark from the woman behind the register when I bought some more film yesterday. "Are you a student? We know. Only students use film." I wanted to say, "I was using film more BEFORE I became a student, dummy."

I'm doing an engagement shoot this weekend. And when we met, the couple specifically asked if I shoot film. I wanted to jump up and hug them!

printing

We've been doing Fine Art Printing in class. It is incredibly tedious. At first I thought I would hate the process and find it redundant to online processing. But, really, the artistic process of it is beginning to grow on me. It is quiet and careful and focused. Also subjective, I realize, but it's a nice way to work on developing your aesthetic. I think my eye for printing will be refined and whittled as we go on. So far it's calming. And I can always use a little internal calming.

Here are two that I printed today, with adjustments for printing.





Good day.