Musically - the singing samoyed :)

Musically.  Our dog, who a lot of people think is a Siberian husky, but he is a samoyed, is very verbal and "talks" a lot to us, he howls and woos and chatters to us every day.  If my children play the piano, or a harmonica, he will run over, sit or lay down and throw his head back and howl away.    

When it snows, I love to take my dog and children out to get pictures of them playing music and singing together :D  

Barnyard Friends { Potomac MD Photographer }

I love to incorporate my farm animals into my photography with my children.  My daughter is a natural with the animals, possibly the result of being the child of a veterinarian :D.   Whenever we are out in the field for photographs, we generally have a visitor - either a cat, a pony or a horse wants to have their picture taken too, and I try and work with the visitor to include them too - these are the moments that would be difficult to stage, but look like magic and end up being my favourite portraits when they happen.  

Award Winning Portraiture | Maryland Photographer

I am so honored that two of my portraits were award winning photographs during the National Association of Professional Child Photographer's (NAPCP) International Image Competition.  One of my child photographs placed third in the child photography competition and one of my portraits of a brother and sister received a merit recognition award.  The talent featured by the NAPCP is amazing, there are some of the best child photographers in the world among its members.  

The Christmas Wish - Photographed in Downtown Frederick MD

I don't usually post the story behind the portraits I photograph as I like my viewers to have their own stories, but for this photograph, and because it's Christmas, here is the story. 

I wanted a picture of my child outside of a shop window that had Christmas decorations in it - for the Christmases in England, it gets dark Very early, so pretty much any time out and about after school means it's dark.  The shops decorate and have some amazing displays and I remember looking forward to them, and to seeing what was in them each year.  The path outside the shop was always cold and damp, but inside the shop the lights and display glow and give off warmth and make the season magical.  I used a lens that I struggle with - the canon 50mm 0.95.  It is a vintage lens that gives off the most spectacular bokeh, but it is manual and the camera that I had to pair it with, a leica, does not offer live view (not that I use it when I have it available on my regular camera, but I like to complain about how it doesn't have it and like to think that if it were available with this particular lens that I would use it).  I took a picture and knew that I wanted to use it, but ended up having to composite 3 photographs together to get the look that I wanted.     

Love { Maryland Professional Photographer }

I have been busy opening Jefferson Veterinary Hospital and planning the artwork for the walls.  One of the nice touches that my husband and I have put into the hospital is a dedicated bereavement room with a separate entrance and exit so clients do not have to walk through the waiting room and have more privacy.  We are putting touches to try and make it a little more comfortable and homey and choosing the perfect portrait to go up in a room that we know no one wants to go in has been a challenge.  I finally settled upon this portrait of my daughter and a YBR farm lab puppy that was taken during a workshop with one of the best child photographers in the world, Elena Shumilova Photography, during the fall in Northern Virginia. 

Award Winning Portraiture | Maryland Photographer

I am thrilled to announce that one of my portraits received a merit recognition in the National Association of Professional Child Photographer's  International Image Competition.   It is such an honor to be featured amongst so much talent!  You can see all the entries and winners here. This portrait of my child and one of my horses was taken in the spring, when buttercups take over parts of fields.  The horse photographed here came over to check on what his little girl was doing - if you look closely you can see that she had picked some flowers and put them on his head :)  

The National Association of Professional Child Photographers describes it's International Image Competition as:

“designed to recognize the world’s most successful child photographers, the NAPCP Image Competition called for images across a range of category subjects including Maternity, Newborn, Babies, Children, Siblings, Toddlers, Tweens, Seniors and Family. Image submissions were carefully judged by a blue-ribbon panel of experts based on impact, technical merit, composition and creativity.”
— NAPCP

Fall Portraits | Child Photographer Maryland

I took these portraits of my child in the fall in Maryland.  Each year we go out and pick a place and spend some time exploring it and taking photographs.  One of the great things about living in Maryland, particularly in our little corner of Frederick County, is the abundance of beautiful countryside.  This year we found the most gorgeous location and the photographs looked beautiful!  (Not that I'm biased in anyway - my child/my photography ;) :D ).  

Photograph Featured in Child Photo Competition { Maryland Photographer }

One of my portraits of my child watching a sunset with a chocolate labrador puppy was  featured by Child Photo Competition for their "Inspiring Monday" volume.    One of my photographs was also selected as a finalist during Child Photo Competition's "Rustic" photography competition - you can see that photograph here.  I am honored to be selected and featured among so many incredible photographers from around the world! 

The following photograph was featured during "Inspiring Monday" by Child Photo Competition