Emily Hayes Photography| Washington DC, MD, VA Wedding, Portrait,, and Senior Photography

NEW BLOG!!!!

2010-06-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

After too many years using a blogspot address, I have created a new blog! You can visit my new blog at:

www.emilyhayesphotography.com/blog

If you have any links that go to this blog, please update the address! Thanks!!

Baby Charlie | Maryland Newborn Photography

2010-05-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

After months of waiting, I finally had the opportunity to photography baby Charlie and her family! When I drove up to the home of Judes and Dan I was seriously excited to see that they had floor to ceiling windows on two stories (yea natural light!). Then, I met the whole family and had another one of those, I have the best job in the world, moments! I have said it once before but I will say it again, I have the best clients in the world and am so lucky to be able to do what I do! Thank you guys for the great session and for making my job so much fun! Here are some of my favorites from the day...

We were so lucky to have Judes parents visiting!

Glen Echo Park | Washington DC Engagement Phothography

2010-05-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

On Monday I had the opportunity to shoot one of the cutest couples ever! I met Jen and Andrew for their engagement shoot at Glen Echo Park in Bethesda, MD. They were so natural in front of the camera and had no trouble at all when I told them to "just be cute!". I have to say, I really do have the most amazing clients ever! Every time I do a shoot I fall more in love with photography and I really owe that to all the wonderful people I worked with. Thank you Jen and Andrew for being so awesome! I cannot wait for your wedding in November!

Baby Eleanore | Washington DC Newborn Photography

2010-05-10T19:20:00.001-07:00

As promised, a full blog poast from this weekend's session! I just loved working with this family! Baby Eleanore was amazing and hardly cried at all. Thank you guys for the amazing session! These are some of my favorite images to date :-)

I'm not too big into hats on babies (I just love a newborn head) but I this one was absolutely adorable! Thank you grandma for this this shot :-)

This is one of my favorite shots of the day!

Dad just graduated with his Doctorate in Engineering and Mom is finishing her residency this year!

Happy Mothers Day | Washington DC Newborn Photography

2010-05-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Because its mothers day I had to post a sneak peak my session yesterday with new mom Jill. Little Eleanor was so amazing the whole time and you could just see the joy that she has brought into her parents and grandparents lives. I will post more this week, but I just had to post these today!

To all mothers out there, you are amazing!

My Pretty Princess

2010-05-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Last November I had the opportunity to visit my sister and her family in Provo, UT. She has 3 of the cutest kids ever and despite the fact that I got sick while I was there, I had such a fantastic time. Addy is a princess through and through. I just love this girl! I can't wait to see them again this summer!

Baby Clair!

Samantha and Darnell | Glen Echo Park Engagement Photography

2010-04-29T19:15:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I had the chance to meet, hang out with, and photograph Samantha and Darnell. Not only are they a super cute couple, but also such fun people! They are celebrating their 10 year anniversary, and in a few months I will have the privilege of documenting their vow renewal ceremony (and party!). I just love the idea of celebrating 10 years of marriage because its such a big milestone in a relationship. I can't wait for their to photograph their celebration and am so glad that I have a job where I get to work with such great people. Here are just a few of my favorites from the session...

My Utah Trip | Portrait Photography

2010-04-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Not that anyone wants to see any more snow but... I wanted to post some pictures from my trip to Utah back in the Fall. These adorable little girls are my husband's cousins kids, but we consider them nieces. We miss you guys so much and am so glad you are family!

Uncle Todd and the girls!

The R Family | Washington DC Family Photography

2010-04-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

Back in January I photographed the awesome R family! Little Gavin is just so adorable and we had the best time! Below are a few of my favorite images from the session...

(Not sure why I didn't post these earlier, they are some of my favorites!)

Thor's Senior Photos | Gaithersburg, MD Photography

2010-04-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had a the best time shooting Thor's senior photos in Downtown Gaithersburg, MD! Even though I know that it was his mom's idea to have his senior photos done, I hope I made the whole process relitively painless :-) Thank you Thor for being a great model and for being so easy to work with!

The K Family | Virginia Family Photography

2010-04-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had one of those shoots that leave you thinking “Is this really my job?” The K family is amazing and I had such a great time not only photographing them but getting to know them. One thing that I really admire is that Trish home school’s her 4 children. She must be an amazing teacher because her oldest daughter Rebekah already has a babysitting and photography side businesses! How cool is that?

Thank you all for the fun day! Your family rocks!

* As I was deciding which photos to blog, I just fell in love with the black and white versions of the photos so today you get an all B/W post!*

The Kids...

Mom

Mom and Dad :-)

The Whole Fam!

So In Love...| Washington DC Engagement Photography: Dumbarton Oaks

2010-04-15T15:22:00.001-07:00

Liz and Neal are a seriously amazing couple! When I asked them where they wanted to do their shoot they recommended Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown. This was my very first photo session at Dumbarton Oaks so I didn't know what to expect, but when we walked in, I felt like I had been transported to 17th century England. The grounds are so classically beautiful it felt like I was in a Jane Austin Novel (I could just imagine laying on the grass having Mr. Willoughby recite poetry to me. Yeah, I know he turned out be bad, but before we found that out, he was pretty romantic, right?). We only had 30 minutes to shoot before it closed, but we took full advantage of that time (and squeezed in a little extra time by making friends with the guy with the bell :-). I had such a great time, and cannot wait for their wedding in October! Thank you guys for the fantastic shoot!

Micah! |Maryland Family and Child Photography

2010-04-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph the cutest little boy ever! When I found out that I would be photographing an 18 month old I was a little nervous. Most kids that age love to just run, run run, but Micah was a perfect model! I spent two hours with him and his mom and there were so many photos that I loved that I decided to make a slide-show (just a warning, its long!). Maia, you and your son are the coolest and I had such a fantastic time hanging out with you. I hope get to do it again!

My super cute parents! | Washington DC Portrait Photography

2010-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

For Christmas this year I gave my parents a "real" photo-shoot. For the past 2 years my mom kept asking me why I never take pictures of the family, so I decided that it was about time I did an official photo-shoot for my parents. The whole session lasted about 10 minutes(my dad is always go, go, go, so I didn't have a large window), but I am just so happy with how the photos turned out. I really feel like the images capture the love between my parents, and after 30 years of marriage, they are happier than they have ever been!

Thank you mom and dad for the amazingly fun session. You both are such wonderful examples to me. I love you so much and am grateful to be your daughter!

This is my favorite shot!

Sarah and Dan: an 80's Romance | Baltimore Engagement Photography

2010-04-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Confession… I love a good romance book! In fact, just about any book I read must have some romance to keep my interest. Now, romance books are good and all, but to see the real thing just makes me giddy!

Last weekend I had total blast photographing my cousin Sarah and her man, Dan.

Sarah and Dan met at The Legwarmers concert. For those who don’t know who The Legwarmers are, they are an awesome 80s tribute band (you have to go see like 80s music at all!). Dan was only 10 when the 80s ended, but for some reason he grew up loving 80s music, and it was that love of 80s music that led him to meet the love of his life, Sarah. Their love story started 2 years ago, when Sara decided to have a fun girl’s night, dress up in tacky clothes, and go rock out to The Legwarmers. While she was at the concert she saw a cute guy sticking out of the crowd, and decided to slowly work her way over to him (I must note that I have known Sarah my whole life, and she pretty shy my nature, so this is not typically like her). They danced for a bit, but then Sarah’s friend’s quickly left the concert, and she was pulled away, without enough time for them to even get each other’s names.

One hour later, as Dan was leaving the concert, Sarah also leaving a bar near the venue. Dan looked over and in his own words… “saw an angel walking towards me.” Totally by chance they happened to meet again, and if you ever meet them, you will know that it must have been fate. They exchanged numbers, he called her a few days later, and, well... the rest is history!

Thank you guys so much for asking me to be your photographer! You guys are the best, and Dan, I’m so excited to have you in the family! Here are my favorites from our shoot :-)

Baltimore, MD Wedding Photography

2010-03-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

This past fall I had the opportunity to second shoot for the amazing Jill Meyers. I'm not sure why I didn't post these photos before because they are some of my favorites! The bride and groom were just amazing together. Their love and joy was infectious and they were so photogenic! Here are a few of my favorites from the day!

Washington DC Newborn Photography

2010-02-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

I know, I'm a total slacker! I promised that I would blog more often, and I have totally failed. Last month I had the opportunity to photograph the S. Family (seriously one of the cutest and nicest families I have ever worked with)! Little Kaitlyn is just so beautiful and was a perfect model. I was there for over 2 hours and not once did I hear her cry! Below are my favorites from the day...

Thank you guys for inviting me into your home to document your brand new family!

Twins! | Gaithersburg Family Photography

2010-02-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

The greatest thing about being a phtoographer is that you get to be one of the first people to see your friend's babies! Remember this family? Well, they had twins this year and went from a small to a BIG family! Lilly and Liam are just adorable and the session was so much fun! Below are just some of my favorites from the day...

Thank you guys for the awesome session!!

Digital Scrapbooking

2010-01-28T08:46:00.000-08:00

The other day I got an e-mail from a past client and attached were some totally awesome digital scrapbook pages she created using Design House Digital templates. I just love how creative my clients are and its so fun to see how they use their photos! I think I might even start making a digital scrapbook of my own! She was kind enough to let me share them with all my readers (Thanks Toni :-)!

New Years Day Wedding | Virginia Wedding Photographer

2010-01-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

What better way to bring in the new year than photographing the amazing wedding of Vivian and Kaiser(two of the nicest people I have ever met!).

The coolest thing about the day is that they had not one, but two ceremonies! They were first married in a Catholic ceremony at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington, Virginia. They then their guests traveled to the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, VA for the beautiful reception and a Pakistani ceremony. You could just feel all the love and excitement their families had for them and the love that they felt for each other. Thank you guys for being so awesome! I wish you all the happiness in the world as you start your new journey together!

My Living Room | David Williams Almost Alone

2010-01-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago I attended David Williams' "Almost Alone" workshop in Niantic Connecticut and it was hands down the best investment I have made in my business so far. Not only did I learn a lot about photography techniques, photoshop and album design, but my whole perspective on photography changed. David really emphasized the importance of what photographers do, capturing images for families that can be cherished by that family long after the people in those photos have passed away. Although I have memories of my grandmother that I keep inside me, its the pictures that I have of her and me that trigger those memories. I feel inspired and excited to master my craft and deliver my clients meaningful, emotional, beautiful images.

One of my assignments was to go home and photograph pieces of my living room. Below are some pieces of my life and some things that make up the space that I spend a lot of my time.

This represents the biggest accomplishment of my life (so far :-).

My favorite photo ever, and my first canvas.

This was my grandmothers and right now houses my VHS collection (yes I still have those!).

My favorite vase that I got for my wedding.

I made these when I first moved into my home (I know, I'm not much of a painter ;-).

Yes, My family LOVES media!

Fredrick MD Engagement Session| Kaitlynn and David

2010-01-12T17:42:00.000-08:00

Do you remember two weekends ago when it was 10 degrees outside? While most people were bundled up inside sheltering yourselves from the cold, Kaitlynn, David, and I were out in Downtown Fredrick doing an engagement session! Due to crazy holiday schedules and the fact that Kaitlynn was leaving to go back to school, we were left with one day to do photos, and I have to say, looking at the photos you would never know (They did a great job)! Thank you guys for being such troopers and for being such a cute, fun couple! I can't wait to photograph your wedding in June!

We started out in the cold...

But soon ducked into the Delaplaine Visual Art Museam to warm up.

Since we were in an art museam, I thought I would get artey!

I found some doors with my favorite color and couldn't resist!

So Downtown Fredrick is officially my new favorite spot to shoot. The colors are amazing and the whole feel is just so quaint. Special thanks to the Delaplaine Visual Art Museam for letting us shoot there. I think we would have frozen otherwise!

Delaplaine Visual Art Museam
40 South Carroll Street
Frederick, Maryland 21701

Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010!!

2009-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

I have decided that this year is the year of taking it to the next level. Over the past year I have decided to fully dedicate myself to photography, but this year, I want to focus on mastering my craft and developing a true photographic identity and point of view.

I will be starting out the year with a bang. First, I have wedding on January 1, then an engagement session on January 3, and next week I'm going to CT for a 3 day photography workshop given by David Williams! This will be the first true workshop I have taken and I am SOOO excited!

Well, farewell 2009. I have learned a lot, and grown in ways that I never thought I could. I look forward to see what the new year has in store for me, and am excited to continue on life's journey.

As I was getting my portfolio together for my workshop, I came across this image. It was taken during my 3rd ever "free for my friend" photo shoot back in May 2008. I think it still is one of my favorite images! I had a fun time re-editing a lot of my photos and will defiantly be posting some before and afters soon!

More from the 2009 Washington DC Blizzard :-)

2009-12-30T07:30:00.001-08:00

I have made a resolution to post on my blog 3 times a week, and because I didn't have time to put together a well written informative post, I though I would post more pictures from the Blizzard. Enjoy!

My dad measuring the snow (it was only 11 inches at that time)

My attempt at macro photography. Yeah, I know I need lots more practice, but its kind of a cool shot. (It ended up snowing 20 inches!)

P.S. Being snowed in at my parents house (with all my brothers and sisters) during the Blizzard made for one of the most fun weekends I have had in a long time! I love my family!

Just Because...|Washington DC Couple Photography

2009-12-28T07:44:00.001-08:00

I mean to upload a Christmas Card to my blog but that totally didn't happen. I have all these cute pictures that my great friend (and talented photographer) AnneMarie Hamant took for me and my husband this year that I was going to use. Well since I didn't do the Christmas card, I'm just going to force all my readers to look at pictures of me and my husband. This year we celebrated our 5 year anniversary and this was his gift to me :-)

Totally my favorite pic!

Okay, so what is the point of me posting these? Well first, I meant to back in August when they were taken but didn't get my act together... but really I wanted to show that marriage doesn't have to be the only reason to take pictures together as a couple. This session was really fun for us and made us feel all cute and romantic! For Christmas I gave my mom and dad a couple's session and I seriously can't wait to do it! I highly recommend this as a great anniversary gift to your spouse next year!

On a side note, I wanted to publicly tell my husband, Todd, how much I love him. You are my best friend and the love of my life. I honestly wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for you.

Merry Christmas Eve!

2009-12-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

Last night instead of doing the things I needed to do (which I eventually got done), I edited some Christmas-y photos and got them blog ready so I could post them today! I hope all of my blog readers (and everyone else for that matter) have a wonderful Christmas, and, if you don't celebrate Christmas, have a wonderfully relaxing day off! Below are some images of my Christmas Tree and my two favorite ornaments.

We really need to get an angel or a star for the top...

Our very first ornament as a married couple.

Our 5 anniversary ornament (Can you tell we just LOVE Disneyworld?).

Is it really almost Christmas?

2009-12-23T06:27:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning and I just couldn't believe it was 1 day until Christmas eve! I officially have no presents wrapped (thankfully I am almost done shopping), have a list of things to do a page long, and have 1 day to do it all. Can I get it all done? Well if I don't my husband won't mind if I stick all his presents in a black trash bag, will he?

Now, for your viewing pleasure... a clip from one of my all time favorite Christmas movies!

This could possibly be one of the creepiest movie santa's of all times! To view other creepy santa's visit : http://www.creepysantaphotos.com/

Washington DC 2009 Blizzard Photos!

2009-12-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

As promised, I have posted photos from my fun day in the snow...

Me and Hubby (Taking a self picture with an Canon 5D and a 24-70 Canon L Lens is not an easy feat :-)

My niece Addy having fun in the snow!

Pop-pops an Addy sledding

This picture was taken after Luke was sent down the sledding hill alone. I can't help but think of the little kid from a Christmas Story.

My favorite picture of the day!

My brother Bobby and my husband Todd... Todd didn't have any boots but managed to protect feet by tucking his sox into his jeans (So HOT, lol!).

My brother Bryan. He is such a natural model (you can check out his senior pictures here)

My sister Katharine and her husband James! They make the cutest kids!

Once I was done taking pictures I had a blast sledding but more fun because I was with my family. I just love spending time with my family!

Blizzard of 2009!

2009-12-19T20:28:00.001-08:00

For those of you who don't already know (or aren't already living in it) there was a huge blizzard in Washington DC today and 20 inches of snow was dumped on us! As I looked at the window at about 2:00, the the snow looked so fluffy and pretty, I just couldn't resist... I opened the door and jumped face first in it. Okay... now in retrospect I should not have jumped head first, but what ever, It was spontaneous and fun!

I'm stranded at my parents house with my sister and her adorable children, my two little brother, my parents, and of course my hubby Todd which has really been a blast! I can't remember the last time we spent this much time all together! We went sledding, drank hot chocolate, started a fire, and played a mean game of Settlers of Catan (best board game ever!). Getting home tomorrow might be tricky, but I still am holding out hope that the roads will be clear!

I don't have my computer now, but I will upload some pictures soon. I hope everyone has been enjoying this crazy snow storm and is excited to have a white Christmas! Oh, and don't forget to stay safe :-)

Emily

My Nana

2009-12-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

I have kind of been putting off writing this post, but not to do it would ignoring the importance of my dear Nana to me. Faith Church Seay passed away on November 14, after living 84 amazing years. She wasn't just a grandmother to me, but she was truly a best friend. Every Sunday I would go visit her and we would have 1-2 hours of just girl talk. She was truly an amazing woman and I don't feel that I can really really convey it my words. She was a wonderful writer, a smart businesswoman, a loving mother, and she devoted her live to the service of others. She was the best person I know and she will be dearly missed. My mom wrote an lovely obituary and I wanted to share it so you could get a little sense of who she was.

(I took this picture of Nana and my niece Addy back in May. I just love it!)

Faith Church Seay

Faith Church Seay, 84, a native of Washington DC who devoted her life to serving those in need, died at home on November 14 of cancer.

As a 5th generation Washingtonian, Faith developed her love of service as a young girl in her SW Washington home. Growing up just blocks from the Washington Monument she witnessed the tragedies and triumphs that took place here. Alongside her family she began serving the countless people in need during the depression. Her compassion for those in need continued into the War years when she became as a Red Cross worker at Walter Reed Hospital. She met her husband, Temple W. Seay, Jr. during this time and they were married in 1948. Faith’s compassionate service continued to the last days of her life. She volunteered with special needs children at the Episcopal Center for Children in NW Washington and the Washington Home (formerly known as the Home for Incurables) for more than 40 years. She also volunteered at the Home the for Blind in Georgetown, Jr. Villiage in Anacostia, Martha’s Table in NW and countless acts of kindness through her membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She attended Jefferson Jr. HS and was president of the first graduating class. She went onto graduate from Coolidge HS and then onto Strayers Business College. Her skill in shorthand and typing would serve her well. While working for the Atomic Energy Commision she was asked to provide a name to the new atomic weapons testing program. Ironically her love of nature and flowers inspired the name “Operation Greenhouse”. She would continue her work at the AEC until 1953 when her oldest son was born. She once wrote “I try to convey God’s great love of mankind and how we can feel and see Him through His nature paintings. I feel it is very important to voluteer our services in any way we can to make life happier and easier for other less fortunate.”

She is survived by her sons, Michael Seay (Frances Seay) of Washington DC and Thomas Seay of Bethesda, MD; 5 grandchildren, Michael Seay, Jr. of Washington DC, Katharine LeCheminant (James) of Provo, Utah, Emily Hayes (Todd) of Gaithersburg, MD, Robert Seay of Logan, Utah & Bryan Seay of Washington DC and 3 great-grandchildren; Addy (3), Luke (2) & Claire (2months) LeCheminant.

I have been featured!

2009-12-15T06:43:00.001-08:00

Happy Tuesday everyone! I wanted to let you know that Jolie Fete Coture Event Design has featured me on their blog as a spotlight vendor. You can check it out at http://joliefeteevents.wordpress.com/. Jolie Fete is awesome and you should totally check them out!

Best Bouquet Toss Ever! | Washington DC Wedding Photography

2009-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Georgetown Family Photography

2009-12-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

This past fall I had the opportunity to photograph the C. family. I had never photographed an actual adult family, and I was a bit nervous about it. It turned out to be WAY easier that photographing kids because, duh, they all knew how to take direction, and it didn't hurt that they were totally natural in front of the camera. Georgetown has quickly become my favorite places to do shoots. The lighting is amazing and the architecture is beautiful.

Mom and Dad had just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary! How cute are they?

To view more family portraits please visit my family portfolio.

Washington DC, MD, VA Newborn Photography | Baby Jackson

2009-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have known Lauren for about 2 years and she is seriously one of most awesome people I know. About 5 months ago I received a picture message of a sonogram from her and I completely freaked out! I had no idea she was expecting, and I couldn't have been more happy for her!

Baby Jackson arrived on on his due date, October 31, and I met the little guy a week later at our photo session. Lauren, I had the best time photographing your family. You are such a beautiful mom and your family is just perfect! Thanks for being my friend and for having such a cute baby for me to photograph ;-)

This is the outfit that they took him home in. So cute!

To view more newborn photos please visit my newborn portfolio.

Bethesa, MD Newborn Photography

2009-11-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Back in September I had the opportunity to help photograph the baby of my good photographer friend and new mom AnneMarie Hamant. Little JP was a doll and slept through the whole thing. I just love newborns!

To view more newborn photos please visit my newborn portfolio.

Eastern Shore, Maryland Family Photography

2009-11-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

The other week I crossed the bay bridge to photograph the fantastic T. family! Little Abigail was just adorable, and you could see how much her parents cherished her. Thank you guys for making my job so much fun!

Wedding Photography Damascus/ Fredrick Maryland | Rachel and Nate

2009-11-18T15:12:00.000-08:00

The other weekend I had the privilege of photographing the love story of Rachel and Nate. They were fantastic to work with and gave me a whole hour and a half to do pictures before the ceremony (a photographers dream)! The ceremony took place at in Damascus/Gaithersburg at the beautiful Wesley Grove United Methodist Church and the reception was held at Dutch's Daughter in Fredrick, MD (the food was fantastic!). The ceremony was just beautiful, and the bride was glowing. My favorite part of the day had to be the first dance though. You could just see the love they both had for each other; it was so sweet! Thank you Rachel and Nate. Marriage is the best, and I know you will both have a wonderful one!

The mom and dad of the bride were so cute the whole night. I love this shot!

The bouquet toss was so classic, I am saving it for its own post :-)

Special thanks to AnneMarie Hamant for shooting with me. She is the best!

Alexandria, VA Virginia Wedding Photography- Lynn and Jim

2009-11-06T08:41:00.001-08:00

Two weeks ago I had the special privilege of documenting the wedding of Lynn and Jim. I only spent 3 hours with them that day but the love and happiness that I witnessed between them and their family really made a special impression on me. My favorite part of the day was spending time with Lynn while she was getting ready. She was so giddy and excited; I just couldn't help getting excited myself! Thank you both for sharing your day with me. I wish you all the happiness that life has to offer!

Washington DC Engagement Photography| Stephanie and Dave

2009-11-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I photographed the cutest couple ever! Stephanie and Dave were so much fun to work and made my job so easy! Our intention was to shoot at union station, but we ended up doing a majority of our shoot at a small park nearby. Below are just a few of my favorites from the day...

Thanks guys for the awesome shoot!

Classical music is making me smarter?

2009-10-28T12:45:00.001-07:00

Confession... I have a horrible short term memory. I can't remember people's names, I cant remember something my husband told me two seconds ago, its not a good thing. A few weeks ago I got fed up, and decided to do something about it. I went to my favorite search engine, Google, and looked up "classical music + helping memory". I read a few articles and realized that there was really no conclusive evidence linking classical music to memory improvement, but I had to try something, so I turned my AOL radio to the classical music station, and it has stayed there for about 2 weeks now.

Well, I'm not quite sure if my memory has improved at all, but I have noticed something different in me. All the sudden I have a more clear head. I am thinking so much more clearly, and am actually more focused and goal oriented. I have been making lists and actually crossing things off of them! Like tonight, I catagloged all my reciepts, recorded all my milage, and paid my taxes, and even managed to do two loads of laundry and finish the dishes! I am not sure if this new found momentum in getting my business and personal life in order is due to me listening to classical music, but I don't plan on switching my radio station any time soon!

For your viewing pleasure, a picture from an August wedding that I forgot to blog. Its one of my favorites!

Washington DC Wedding Photography | Romantic Black and White Photos

2009-10-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the oppertunity to shoot for Corbin from CMH photography. It was pouring down rain that day but thankfully there was a covered porch at the reception site where we could take photos. Flash is a great tool, but there nothing like natural light! These photos were taken with my 100mm macro while holding up the veil with my non camera holdling hand.

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Washington DC, MD, VA Engagement Photogrpahy| Glen Echo Park, MD

2009-10-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry its been a while since I have posted any pictures. The past few months have been VERY busy and I several blog posts in the works right now, so keep checking back because I plan to post a lot in the next few weeks :-)

In early October, I took engagement photos at one of my favorite places, Glen Echo Park, for one of the cutest couples ever, Eddie and Melissa. It was a blast! They were so natural in front of the camera and so clearly in love. I can't wait to photograph there wedding in May!

Washington DC High School Senior Photography| Georgetown

2009-10-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

The other weekend I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful high school senior in Georgetown, and and had a blast with her and her mom. The session almost got rained out, but luck was on my side, and the weather ended up being perfect! Below are a few of my favorites from the day!

Thank you guys for making my job so much fun!

Eastern Shore, MD Wedding Photography | Prospect Bay Country Club, Gravonville, MD

2009-10-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

The other week I had the opportunity to shoot with Leah of Leah Stern Photography. The ceremony and reception took place at Prospect Bay Country Club in Graconville, MD on the Eastern Shore. The outdoor ceremony was simple and beautiful and the bride's dress was just stunning. I wish all the best to the new couple as the embark their new journey together.

Bowie, MD/ Bethesda, MD Wedding Photography| Emily Hayes Photography

2009-09-29T12:48:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I photographed my first Nigerian wedding with Wale from Wale Photos. The ceremony took place at a beautiful church in Landover Hills, MD, and the reception took place at the Anastasi Room in Bethesda, MD. I absolutely loved photographing this couple. She was just beautiful, and you could just feel the love that they had not only for each other, but for all their family and friends. I wish you two the best of luck in stating your new lives together!

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The cutest newborn I have ever seen!

2009-09-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today my amazing sister Katharine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl! I feel like getting on a plane right now to see them! I love you already baby C. Being an aunt is the greatest thing in the world. I am sooo happy!

My mom took this picture at the hospital. How amazing do they both look! I don't think I've ever seen a 1 day old that adorable!

Happy 21st of September!

2009-09-21T12:58:00.001-07:00

My friend Katie just made my day by posting this on her blog and I since I too am obsessed with Earth Wind and Fire, I thought I would share it will all my friends!

Can you believe that we only have 1 more day of summer left?

Happy Friday: Washington DC Wedding and Portrait Photography

2009-09-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! The work week may be ending for some, but mine is getting into full swing. Tomorrow I am photographing a wedding on the Eastern Shore, MD and am super excited because the B&G are having an outdoor ceremony, and weather.com is showing clear skies! I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend, and be sure to check back next week to see more new wedding photos :-)

Simple, Beautiful, Love: Washington DC, MD, VA Wedding Photography

2009-09-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful wedding in Gaithersburg, MD. Charles and Emily are pretty much the most adorable couple I have ever met. It was amazing for me to see how much they loved, not only each other, but everyone else in their lives. They met while teaching a children's group at church (how cute!), and their friendship grew over the years into a love that I know will last forever. I want to thank Kristen Leigh for inviting me to photograph this beautiful event. Here are just a few of my favorites from the day.

I literally almost cried as she walked down the isle with her dad (they played music from one of my favorite movies, Pride and Prejudice!).

The reception was at the Golden Bull, and was so beautiful!

The 3/50 Project : Helping your local economy

2009-09-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I came across this awesome campaign while reading a favorite blog, and wanted to share it with my readers. The 3/50 campaign encourages people to spend at least $50 a month on 3 independently owned stores in their own communities. I know the economy is bad, and that we are all looking for deals and ways to save money, but if we don't spend money on local businesses, many of the places that make our communities great will not survive. My husband and I were at our favorite Mexican restaurant the other day and there was hardly anyone there and I am really scared that it will be a causality of this economy (the food is so good!). You can read more information below:

Still bargain shop, but remember that it is important to support our local communities as well :-)

Growing Up - Washington DC Wedding and Portrait Photography

2009-09-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Do you remember this cutie? I had the chance to photography my little second cousin Adam last weekend, and seriously, how cute is he?!! I can't believe he is already 6 months old! Like I've said before, I have the cutest neices, nephews (and 2nd cousins) in the world. I am sooo lucky!

Why I became a Photographer... : Washington DC Portrait and Wedding Photographer

2009-09-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to start making my blog more about who I am, my journey, and my photography point of view instead of just place to post my new photos. I thought I would start off by sharing the story of why I decided to start a photography business.

I am not one of those people who grew up taking pictures of everything and everyone. I loved taking photos when I would travel and always felt extremely inspired by the beauty of the places I went, but when I would come home, the inspiration would leave and I would usually put away my camera until my next big adventure. My point and shoot digital Camera broke in November 2007, and I started shopping around for a new one. I decided that instead of a small point and shoot I would really go for it and purchase "nice" camera.

In January, 2008 I purchased my very first Digital SLR camera, the Canon Rebel XT and after I bought it, it pretty much sat in my camera bag untouched. My husband gave me a hard time about spending all that money (which was nothing, now that I know how much photography equipment really costs) for something I didn't even use, so after three months of sitting in a lonely camera bag, I decided that I would finally take some "nice" pictures with my "nice" camera. My sister was visiting my parents with her adorable children, so I had the perfect subjects! I got to the house, set my camera on automatic and had my very first photo-shoot. As I was chasing my almost 2 year old niece around the house, making my best attempt to capture that sweet smile, it happened... I fell in love with photography (yes that abruptly).

The next thing I did was to I called up all of my friends with kids and asked if they could be my test subjects. I then embarked on a journey to learn everything I could about photography. I e-mailed photographers I liked, I read books, I read articles, and soaked up all the information I could. I feel like I have come a long way in the past year in both the knowledge I have and the understanding of how much more there is to learn. I am grateful for all those who have and continue to support me (especially my wonderful husband and my mom :-).

This was taken back in May. She is my adorable niece Lacee, and I love her to death!

(Disclaimer: I'm NOT a writer, I do not claim to be a writer, nor do I have any desire to be a writer, so I apologize for all my grammar and spelling errors!)

SEO...

2009-09-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

So I have a blog, a website, a facebook fan page, a twitter page, a wedding wire page, and adds on craigslist, but I'm still not meeting my goals of website viewership. I was wondering if anyone out there has experience with SEO (search engine optimization) and would like help a web illiterate soul out... I have been doing a bit of research and it seems that having your website linked to other websites helps increase your search engine rating, so anyone who wants to put a link to my website on theirs would be my new favorite person ;-)

Now, for those who don't read my posts and only like looking at the photos (I'm not a big text reader either...), here is a favorite Image of mine that I have never shared:

Emily Hayes Photography
Washington DC Wedding Photography

Testing... 1,2,3

2009-09-03T13:03:00.001-07:00

So for the past several months I have been uploading my photos to Photobucket.com and attaching the HTML on my blog. I decided that it was probably a better idea to have them loaded onto my blog, so this is my test to see if it will actually work. I will probably delete this post shortly, so don't be alarmed if its gone (not that anyone would be).

Northern Virgnia Newborn Photography

2009-08-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of photographing beautiful baby Isabella and her fabulous family in Virginia. Newborn photography is the best, and my shoot was no exception! The shoot was amazing and the H family was such a joy to work with. Isabella was and was quite a trooper for her first photo shoot and did an fabulous job ad being adorable! I think this girl definitely has a future in modeling :-) Here are just a few of my favorites...

My favorite couple!

2009-08-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the opportunity to photograph my ridiculously good looking, along with totally awesome friends, Nick and Meadow. We went to old town Gaithersburg, MD and got some really fun shots. Here are some of my favorites!

Random

2009-08-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here is what I have been up to in pictures...

I celibrated my 5 year anniversary on Friday... 5 YEARS!!! Hubby and me were pretty low key, but we did get our favorite cake from Bloom!

I surprised him with Rock Band!

I ordered a sample canvas gallery wrap... I have added these to my product line and LOVE them!! Its a great way showcase your photos without having to bother with framing them.

I got new business cards today! I am super excited about these. I have had 3 sets
(Yes they are slightly pink on one side!)

Storyboard

2009-08-12T18:34:00.001-07:00

I never thought i would make one of these because I didn't know how, but I figured it out, and am glad I did because I LOVE them!! I made a digital frame and mat so you can get the idea of what a storyboard would look like framed. What do you think?

My Christina :-)

2009-08-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

My beautiful niece Christina is just one big bundle of love. I swear, if all kids were this wonderful I would have 10! I love how she runs up to you and literally attack you with kisses, and any time you ask, she is more than willing to give you a big hug. Christina is truly one of the most loving wonderful kids I have ever met and I am so lucky to have her as a niece. Becky, I miss you and the girls more than you know!

More Christmas Card Samples

2009-07-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

Front/Back

Inside

Holiday Photo Sessions!

2009-07-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know its still summer, and the holidays seem really far off, but right now is the perfect time to schedule your family photos! For all the early birds out there who book their family sessions before the end of August (you do not have to actually have the session done, just booked :-) will get a free custom holiday card designed by me! These aren't cookie cutter templates either. I will customize your entire card for you, from the pictures to a personal message. Now, what are you waiting for??

An example of a 5x5 holiday card

P.S. I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!!!

Family Weekend Sneak Peak:-)

2009-07-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got to do my favorite thing in the world... spend time with my beautiful nieces! I haven't seen Katie or Christina for a year and they have gotten bigger but are just as sweet as I remember. Here is a sneak peak of the photos from the weekend. I made my 10 year old niece Katie be my model, and she was great at it! Aren't those blue eyes stunning?

This is an "urban" processing... its not my usual style but I kind of like it :-)

The L Family

2009-07-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

When Sue tole me that her son's daycare workers called her little boy the happies child they have ever had, I have to admit, I was pretty excited. As you can imagine, 1 year olds are hard to photograph, but knowting that getting a smile out of little Jacob wouldn't be a problem put my mind at ease. Here are some of my favorite shots from our session. The connection between mother and son was so beautiful, and you could just see the joy that Jacob has brought into his parents life. Thank you guys for inviting me into your home!!

Wedding in Color

2009-07-09T18:37:00.001-07:00

Just a few more of my favorites from last week's wedding... in color :-)

Wedding Time!

2009-07-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the privlage of documenting the a beautiful wedding with a fantastic photographer and friend AnneMarie. The wedding was simple and beautiful, and you could just feel the deep love that the bride and groom had for each other. The bride was married at St. James Catholic Church (the same church that her parents were married) and wore her mothers wedding dress which was absolutely georgous. After the wedding we took photos at the beautiful Franciscan Monastery in Washington DC. Here are just a few of my favorites in Black and White...

Want a FREE Photo Shoot??

2009-07-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to do this for a LONG time, but I am finally implementing my referral program! For every booked portrait session that you refer to me, I will give you a $75 credit towards a sitting fee! Now, If you are a total superstar and refer 4 people who book with me you get a FREE SITTING FEE and a DVD OF ALL IMAGES, valued at $500!!! So, what are you waiting for? Go and send my website out to your entire contacts list, that FREE photoshoot is waiting for you! I am happy to give you my business cards or make up custom business cards that features photos from one of your sessions! Just shoot me an e-mail or leave me a comment on my blog!

A potential business card design... Do you like? I am still not sure.

Now I have a favor to ask... for those of your who really love me and have blogs, could you put a link to my website on your blog? I am trying to improve my google rating and I know that it helps to have more links to your site. Thank you in advance :-)

The best Father's Day Present!

2009-06-30T19:03:00.001-07:00

About a week before fathers day every year I rack my brain to come up with a gift to give my dad... well, my friend K. had the same thought about what to get her husband. A few days before fathers day her daughter suggested that she talk to her "photographer friend" to get some pictures of the girls. It was quite a challenge to find a time where everyone was free and her husband wouldn't be home but thankfully her husband was working late that week and we were able to have a fantastic photo session! Now, can you think of a more perfect gift for fathers day?

My first jumping photos!

This photos reminds me of myself at that age :-)

Disney World

2009-06-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of May my husband and I took a trip to Disney World to celebrate our 5 year anniversary (It's coming up in August, but we wanted to at least try for good weather!) I was playing with my new sideshow software today and figured I would start with some of my personal photos. (Disclaimer!! All of these photos were taken with a Canon point and shoot... I figured since I was on vacation I would leave work at home, and only bring around my fun easy camera on my trip.) I hope to be doing more of these slide shows in the future, they are lots of fun!

(Had to remove the slide show because it played music automatically and that is really annoying... I will re-do it and post it back up!)

If you couldn't tell, we had a blast!

Family Time

2009-06-11T17:40:00.001-07:00

This past week has been very exciting for my family! My sister cam in town all the way from Utah with her husband and the two loves of my life (you can see them below!) to see a momentous occasion. My little brother Bryan graduated from High School! After raising 5 children my parents are now officially empty nesters (well almost...)! It has been great having almost the whole family together, and spending time with the kids (I almost want to cry thinking that they will be leaving in a few days). While they were here though, I had to get some pictures of the adorable red heads :-)

Okay, I will start with the cuties... Here is Addy!

And my favorite little boy Luke...

Yes, that hair is really that color!

Luke really loves his Pop Pops!

And his binkie...

The Graduate!

After they graduated Addy kept shouting "They did it! They did it!" over and over again... you can see from this picture how much she looks up to her Uncle Bryan.

Uncle Mike and his favorite Neice...

This picture is totally my brother...

My parents are so proud!

The W Family (Finally!)

2009-05-29T19:34:00.001-07:00

I know, it's been a LONG time since I have posted anything... This month has been pretty crazy for me. My husband and I celibrated our 5 year anaversery at wonderful Walt Disney World (Best time ever!), then a few weeks later we made a trip down to SC to visit my inlaws and got to see our beautiful neice and nephew (will be posting pics soon!). So now, after almost a month, I am finally getting around to posting my session with the fantastic W family! This family of 6 was so much fun to photograph and I was happy that we got one shot with everyone looking at the camera (dogs can be harder than babies:-)! Here are a few of my favorites...

Everyone looking at the camera...

Everyone having fun!

The Dogs :-)

Saturday- More Senior Photos!

2009-04-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, I officially love photographing high school seniors!! After an amazing senior photo-shoot on Friday, I had the opportunity to photograph another fantastic girl on Saturday. Her mom drove us around downtown Washingotn DC so we got some amazing variety in our photos, and the weather was perfect! Here are a few of my favorites...

High School Senior Photos!

2009-04-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

On Friday (my birthday :-) I photographed one of my best friend's little sister, K., for her high school senior photos. We went down to Georgetown in Washington DC which was the perfect choice. Georgetown is full of beautiful homes and bright vibrant colors (I wish I could live there!). We had a wonderful time and K. made it easy by being so gorgeous (I guess it runs in the family)! Thanks for the fun shoot!!

Disclosure

2009-04-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know by now, I am a Photographer NOT a writer! I can't spell, and my grammar is definitely not perfect, so please feel free to correct me, because I just can't see my own mistakes. Oh, I fixed my photos so they are a reasonable size now! Next I need to figure out how to center them...

High School Senior Photos

2009-04-06T18:31:00.001-07:00

On Sunday I shot my brother's highschool senior senior photos. I was a little apprehensive, working with my 18 year old brother, but let me tell you, he was awesome! Not only is he a natural model, but he even had some ideas of where to shoot (I told him he needs to come to all my photo shoots from now on). We went to Glen Echo Park in Bethesda, MD which is sooo cool! Thanks again Bryan! Oh, and for those who know High School seniors or juniors, I am looking for models!!

Wow, My pictures are big!

2009-04-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

So I saved my pictures really large, so now the stuff on my side bar are at the bottom of my blog... What do you guys think? Larger photos, or sidebar on the side?

Emily & David's Wedding

2009-04-04T21:17:00.001-07:00

Back in February I second shot a wedding in Baltimore, MD for the amazing Kim from Kimberly Brooke Photography. The bride was such a trooper. You wouldn't know it but it was in the low 40's... I had some fun with these edits and tried some new vintage tones. Here are a few of my favorites!

Thanks again Kim, I had a fantastic time shooting with you :-)
(I just realized that I spelled "Brooke" wrong in my watermark... Will correct shortly!)

Maternity

2009-03-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

Today I traveled down to Washington DC to do my very first maternity session with my good friend's sister, Kelly. Kelly's husband is in the Marines and has been deployed for most of her pregnancy. It was amazing to have the opportunity to document her beautiful pregnancy for her husband who isn't here to share it with her. Thankfully he will be back before the baby comes! Kelly, you were an amazing model and so photogenic. Thanks for the awesome shoot!

Baby Adam

2009-03-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

Today I had the joy of photographing my new 2nd cousin Adam (could be 1st cousins once removed, not sure)! Baby Adam was born March 2, 2009 weighing 7 lb. 6 oz. and 20" long. This was the first time I have photographed a baby this young (5 days old!), and thankfully, while his mom took a much needed nap, he stayed quietly asleep (just cried a few time) for his photo-shoot. Dad was a huge help, and Adam was a superstar! Here are a few of my favorites...

My Printable DVDs

2009-02-19T19:43:00.001-08:00

I just finished printing my very first custom designed DVD! This is not a sticker but an actually image printed directly onto the DVD! Thanks to the people at Epson, you can actually do that (am I too excited about this?). Now I just need to figure out what type of DVD case to use...

What I did this weekend in pictures

2009-02-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

Since I haven't done many shoots lately (winter is a photographer dead season) I decided to post some artistic interpretations of what I did this weekend...

I celebrated my brothers 18th birthday!

I replaced a vent (so exciting)...

Organized a closet.

Vacuumed (Actually Todd did that!)

In addition to birthday calibrations and domestic duties Todd and I did have time to celibate a nice Valentines day!! I hope everyone else enjoyed their long weekend!

I have a Website!!

2009-02-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, it has been a long time coming, but I finally have a website! I have been a nervous wreck about this whole thing, launching my site and setting my prices (eeek!). Now its market the heck out of myself time and get lots of business :-) The website still needs a bit of work and some text sections need to be added, but I couldn't hide it any longer... Feel free to give suggestions and let me know what all my grammatical errors are (mom, I know you will!!). Don't forget to send my website to everyone you know and tell them how great I am (wink wink)! Thank you to everyone who has been following my blog and supporting me. You guys Rock! Oh, I almost forgot to mention the name of my site... its www.emilyhayesphotography.com or www.ehayesphoto.com.

A New Year

2009-01-26T20:03:00.000-08:00

So its a new year... well 1 month down, but who's counting? First, let me give you the run down on what I have been up to in the past two weeks...
1)I got LASIK surgery on Thursday... can still see, still recovering, ask me in 3 months if it was worth it ;-)
2) Went to a huge photographer get together put on by Armin Defiesta which was AWESOME!
3) Went to Sarasota, FL on a 1 day business trip and missed seeing Bruce Springsteen by a few hours!! (Bummer, I know, but I did get to stay at the Ritz Carlton, fancy...)

Next I wanted to write down a few of my Goals for 2009...
1) Book and shoot 35 paid Portrait sessions- a bit lofty but I think I can do it
2) Second Shoot for 15 weddings (I can count on all my new photographer friends to help me out with this, right?!!)
3) Shoot 5 of my own weddings
4) Become an official LLC (Done!), Get official business cards (Done!), and get my website up(almost done, within the next week!)...
5) Make lots of new photographer friends (working on it!)

I only have 11 months to go, but I know with the help of my devoted readers and a little (I mean lot) of elbow grease, it can happen!

Since I know that people don't actually read posts and only skim for pics, I posted a pic from my last wedding below...

My Hot Husband and a Donkey...

2009-01-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

My all time favorite pic! Don't you love the hipster glasses?

My 2nd all time favorite photo of all time!

Christmas Part 2

2009-01-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some more of my favorites from our Christmas vacation. I went a little crazy taking pictures of Scott and Lacee but I don't have kids so I took advantage of having cute subjects!

My Christmas Part 1

2009-01-12T18:58:00.000-08:00

Todd and I had a very special Christmas this year. Not only did we get to spend the first Christmas at Mom and Dad's beautiful new home in South Carolina, but Todd's brother Robb and his family will nice enough to come all the way from Idaho to join us. The best part was getting to meet my niece Lacee! Seriously the best baby every (as you can see I really enjoyed photographing her). We had an amazing time and I documented every moment (over 800 pictures total!). Here are some of the Highlights...

This is why I gained 10 pounds in a week :-)

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Grandma and Scott cooking Christmas Eve Dinner...

Scott and his Super Man PJs... continuing a family tradition!

Todd the Shepard... We acted out the Christmas story, I was the angel :-)

Santa was the narrator...

A Christmas book before bed...

Opening presents...

Santa visited me too!

Future photographer!

Todd and I miss everyone!!

Some of my Favorite Websites

2009-01-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Since I don't have any photos to post right now, I thought I would share some of my favorite websites. This is a bit random, but people like when blogs are updated right? Even if it is random stuff? Well, here are the websites I frequent the most:

www.dealnews.com (find the best deals on the web)
www.moneysavingmom.com (this woman fees a family 4 on $40 bucks a week, seriously)
www.freemoneyfinance.com (lots of short financial blog posts)
www.facebook.com (I spend way too much time on here)
www.igoogle.com (my favorite!)
www.boxofficemojo.com (I am really fascinated by Box Office grosses)
www.clarkhoward.com (A personal finance guru. Check out his show notes, they are extremely informative.)
www.newsnet.byu.edu (I still check out the BYU editorials every Mon/Wed/Fri for laughs)
www.thebschool.com (where I hang out with all my photographer friends)
www.flirkr.com (A great resource for photography information)

My 1st Solo Wedding!

2009-01-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, after getting home from a long 8 hour drive from South Carolina, I turn on my computer and check my e-mail to find an e-mail from my friend Jen. She asked me if I could possibliy photograph a wedding reception for her friend daughter at 6:00! I called her right away, and 10 minutes later I was hired to photograph my first solo wedding! I am glad it happened this way because I didn't have enough time to freak out, I just had to do it. The adorable couple had their reception on the 30th, and got married in the Mormon Temple the next day. The winds were gusting at 30 miles per hour, but they were troupers and braved the outdoors anyway. These are just a sample of my favorites...

This is me being artistic...

Allie sang a beautiful song to her new husband :-)

**I have not yet worked out my watermarking process so if you take photos from this site PLEASE reference myself and my blog if you post them on a blog, website, or facebook. Thank You!**

My favorite famiy!

2009-01-06T16:59:00.000-08:00

This is the third photo shoot for my good friend's Scott and Eleese and their cute little 1 year old Barrick. Thanks for keeping me in business!!

I made him wake up from his nap early... I'm so mean!

Photos... Finally!

2009-01-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

I know, javascript:void(0)I am two weeks late, but I have lots of photos share! Over the past 3 weeks I have done two family photo shoots, assisted at my first wedding, photographed my first solo wedding, and assisted at my first engagement shoot (SO FUN!), and documented the Hayes family Christmas (I have over 800 pictures to go through). I have tons to share but will spread out the posts so you have to keep checking back ;-)

Lost of photos to come, I Promise!

2008-12-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

Okay, I just realized that I have not posted for almost 2 weeks now... Last weekend I had two family photo shoots, and photographed my first corporate event, but due to the crazy busy week I have not had time to put up any photos on my blog (I am still not done with my Christmas shopping and am leaving for South Carolina on Tuesday 6:00 am). Tomorrow I am assisting at a wedding and I am super excited! Please check back next week and I will definitely have lots of pics up to show. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the holidays!!

New Logo!

2008-12-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

If you have visited my site lately, you have already seen my new logo, but I just thought I would make it official with a real post. Jessica from Funky Peach Designs (http://funkypeach.blogsome.com/) created this awesome logo for me last week. She is amazing! I had an idea of what I wanted, but she totally took it to another level. Now that I have my logo, I feel like I can really start moving ahead. I spent 7 hours on Saturday working on my website (which should hopefully be up in the next few weeks :-), so now I just have to finish that, get cards made up, start a new blog (?), and get lots of business!! So much to do and only so little time. Well I hope you guys like it!

Fun with Flash

2008-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

Today was a rainy mess here in the DC area. I had a photo shoot scheduled with a friend of mine who is moving to Japan on Tuesday, so rescheduling was not an option. Thankfully I had my trusty Canon Speedlite. This was my first photo shoot with my flash so I was a little nervous but am so happy how it turned out. Thankfully they also had a nice covered porch so we got some "natural light" photos as well. Good luck Jerad, Allison, and Aiden on your big move!

The whole family!

Family and Pies

2008-11-27T18:16:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful thanksgiving today... I was able to spend the afternoon with family, good food, and lost of Pies! I even tried out a new sweet potato casserole recipe, similar to the Boston market recipe (SOOO GOOOD!). It used 2 cups of sugar, almost 2 sticks of butter and only 3 sweet potatoes, so you know it was good :-) After dinner we realized we had 6 deserts for 8 people! 4 pies and 2 cakes, needless to say I am currently still in a food coma. I took some pictures of pies and family below... Enjoy!

This was the table scape after dinner, I still think it looks AMAZING!

Dad

Mom (Yes I have good genes in my family!)

My brother and his awesome Fiance!

Me... Not my favorite pic, but I figured I would would put one up of me.

Me trying to be artistic!

The M Family

2008-11-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful little girl named Julia (beautiful is an understatement). She was such a trooper out in the cold and past her nap time... Thank you guys for a great session photo session! With families like yours, this doesn't feel like a job (and I'm not just being cheesy, I really mean it!) :-)

Shout out to all the Twilight Fans!

2008-11-21T05:10:00.000-08:00

OK, most people who read this probably know that I am a HUGE Twilight fan (yes, I am one of those people). Well I have been anxiously awaiting the release of the movie and guess what? Today is the day! Me and all the people I have gotten into twilight (some found it on their own), are going to see the late show tonight and I seriously cannot express my excitement! Here are some movie stills I jacked from the web...

The E Family

2008-11-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

NOTE: I shold be in bed but once I start with the blog, I can't stop!

Last weekend I had the oppertunity to photograph the "E" family. I know this family through church and have been secretely hoping to get to photograph their beautiful children, so I was so excited when I was asked! It was really cold out. Thank goodness kids don't mind the cold!

Oh to be a child again!

Three boys and a little lady!

2008-11-01T16:28:00.001-07:00

I had a nightmare last night that as I was photographing this family, my lens fell off and broke. I am glad that my nightmare didn't turn into a reality and I was able to capture these images.

I always insist to get a picture of mom and dad alone. What a cute couple!

Three ladies and a cute little boy!

2008-11-01T15:57:00.001-07:00

Thank you Shelly for having such awesomely cute kids! I had a fantastic time photographing you guys today! I just have to say that Max is adorable and I couldn't resist putting multiple photos of this cute little man!

My favorite one!
This is my favorite!

I'm Back Baby!!

2008-11-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know its been 2 months since my last post!! To be honest, I haven't done any photography in the past two months... It was actually a nice break since I had been going full speed ahead since March. Well 2 months of nothing, and then, all of the sudden, in the past week I have booked 5 jobs!! I think its getting down the wire and people are starting to realize they only have a few weeks left to get their Christmas photos done!!

Today I did two photo-shoots which both were amazing! First, the weather was beautiful! After a week of freezing cold, we got a day of 70 degree weather! I think God must have been smiling down on me because I couldn't have asked for a better day. Additionally, I discovered a new park which was also ideal for the photo-shoots. The thing that made it even better was that both families had the most amazing kids ever. I have to admit, I was a little nervous to photograph 4 kids under 8 (in each family), but they were wonderful. I did bribe them with candy, but I think they would have been just as great had I not. I have almost finished editing the photos and will have a few posts up shortly!

Being a Better Blogger

2008-09-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

I have been told by a few of my friends that I do not blog enough, and that they want to see more pictures! Well I am very flattered that people read my blog, and want to see my photos, so I will try my best to provide you with current images. The past few weeks have been slow (which has allowed me to have a much needed break), but I have several shoots in the pipeline, so I hope to have new photos up very soon. I can't actually say that I have taken much of a break. Last week I attended an inspiring wedding photography seminar put on by David Jay (Wedding photography is definitely my next step), and went to a lecture on how to start a small business last night. This may sound weird, but I am actually really excited for the business aspect of photography and the idea of "owning" my own small business. My second love is finance, so this will put myself proclaimed "Personal Finance Guru" title to the test. I do realize that business finance is a whole different ball game so wish me luck!