Photo Session Date: March 6, 2010

Photo Session Location: Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, VA

Photo Session Details: Karen and Michael are getting married next month and all of us wanted to work in an engagement photo session prior to the big day. The winter weather has been atrocious this year with record snowfalls. Fortunately, after weeks of bitter cold we were fortunate to have scheduled the session for the first nice weekend of the year. We held the photo session at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA which is home to a lovely art gallery and beautiful gardens when the flowers are in bloom. While photography is restricted to the first floor of the museum due to the artwork located on the second floor, we made the most of the opportunity and took some photos inside the main building and around the outside area bordering the gardens. It was still a bit chilly outside, but Karen and Michael were troopers and a fantastic couple to work with!

This series is part of an on-going 26-week project entitled the ABCs of Photography in which I take a few photographs each week centered on on specific letter of the alphabet.

L is for Light at a Construction Site - While on-site for some construction photographs last week in Middletown, VA, both of these light fixtures happen to catch my eye. I think it was their unusual shapes and how they really illuminated a very low-lit and industrial area, not to mention the extreme contrasts of dark and light.

Photo Session Date: February 28, 2010

Photo Session Location: Winchester, VA

Photo Session Details: I have the privilege of photographing Amber and Corey's wedding this May. When I had them fill out a questionnaire regarding the details of their wedding, Amber noted that they first met at a local auto garage (Corey was the mechanic who worked on her car). As soon as I read that, I knew I wanted to hold their engagement session in an auto garage or repair shop. Being that the weather this February has been less than stellar, having an indoor location with meaning for the session made even more sense. Amber and Corey thought the idea was great and we met at the very garage where they first met for our engagement photo session.

I took this photograph in the stairwell of the Baltimore National Aquarium during my last visit there. An escalator was broken so they were redirecting people to the stairs to go up a floor. The creepy dark and grungy look of this photo is a stark contrast to the bright and lively environment of the Aquarium which is just through the exit door.

Photo Session Date: February 25, 2010

Photo Session Location: The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland

Photo Session Details: Growing up and living near Baltimore for 25 years, I have been to the National Aquarium many times. Yet each time I go I am always amazed at the wondrous fish and animals they have on display there. My personal favorites of this visit were the new jellyfish exhibit (my wife wants a jellyfish tank for display in our home after seeing it), the sharks (I never get tired of sharks!) and of course the dolphin show (wow, they are smart mammals).

This series is part of an on-going 26-week project entitled the ABCs of Photography in which I take a few photographs each week centered on on specific letter of the alphabet.

K is for Kids at The Little Gym - Both of my children attend classes at The Little Gym in Winchester. For those of you unfamiliar with The Little Gym, they offer classes which help babies and children of all ages develop motor/sports skills, learning skills, following directions and socializing with other children. This past weekend my youngest daughter's class held a "bring a friend" session in which my older daughter was able to attend and participate. The classes are really great for my kids as it gives them the opportunity to play and interact with other children their age (since we live in the country and not in a neighborhood). Since both of them had the opportunity to attend the same class, it allowed me to take some photographs.

During a tour of a private university's Health Professions Building, I came across this antique cash register that is part of a donated antique Pharmacy exhibit.

Photo taken with my iPhone of my youngest daughter and her newest teddy bear friend.

Photo Session Date: February 8, 2010

Photo Session Location: Winchester, Virginia

Photo Session Details: Snow, snow and more snow has fallen this winter in Winchester, Virginia. Even the snow lovers have grown tired of it, but my children seem to enjoy it every time they go out to play. My three-year-old has spent time trudging through snow almost as tall as her, throwing snowballs at Daddy and sledding in a make-shift laundry basket. This is my 21-month-old daughter's first experience with snow, and while apprehensive at first, she soon began running through the paths I have shoveled through the three-foot high drifts. I will admit even I got in on the fun for a bit, digging my first snow tunnel in over 20 years!

Photo Session Date: February 6, 2010

Photo Session Location: Winchester, Virginia

Photo Session Details: Not even two months ago I sat here and posted photographs from a blizzard in which we received 20" of snow. I thought at the time "wow...we won't see snow like that again for quite awhile". Well we did...during the same winter season! The blizzard of 2010 ended today with a snowfall total of 31.5" at my house. We were very lucky not to lose power during the storm. The snow is so high it almost reaches my waist. After shoveling paths around the house all day long, I was about to turn in for the day when the sun came out just in time to set, so naturally I had to grab my camera. Numb fingers and all, I took some photographs hoping to capture the memories of the blizzard of 2010.