Early rising is about catching the right light. The first and foremost important factor in all of my shoots is working with great light, and if we’ve booked an outdoor session that means I’ve probably scheduled it before 9 a.m. or directly before the sun sets.

Good light, or at least the light that works for my style of shooting, is soft and even and makes things look interesting when it hits the earth — that happens in the wee hours of the day (or under overcast skies) so it can’t be wasted!

So naturally, I’m up super early and a stickler for being on time. When I’m behind the camera lens the hours zip by at incredible speeds, making that small window of good light super precious.

When discussing schedules, some clients will look at me like I’m nuts. Why on earth would I want to meet them at 8 a.m.? Because I want to make you or your family gorgeous. Because, while a midday session will work with the right lighting tools, I’d rather open up more possibilities with those post-dawn/pre-dusk time frames.

Timing is also important during those hours when I’m not fact to face with my clients. Some people ask if I get paid $200 an hour. Ha! I wish! The majority of costs associated with photo shoots aren’t incurred when I’m behind the camera – they happen when I’m in front of the computer post-processing, billing, backing up and organizing. I’m seriously considereing compiling a video to show everything that goes on behind the scenes of just one session.

Timing is everything. The lack of enough time is a photographer’s worst enemy but the right timing of a shoot is a photographer’s best friend!

Moody and expressive, Liam is a child photographer’s dream. And as coincidence would have it, he was born right around the time I met my significant other, so I’ve dubbed him an anniversary baby whether he likes it or not. Can’t wait to take my next trip out to western Maryland to watch him grow up!

When it comes to kindness, her mother is queen, and you can tell – even at only 4 months – that Kira’s going to be a lot like her. She spent a bit of our shoot eating her Christening dress and the the rest giving me perplexed looks and mischievous, infectious grins at her momma. When she laughs, watch it… you will too! Before we wore her out to the point of passing out on the couch we made some superb baby portraits for her family to coo over for years to come.

Not more than a few weeks later I signed a lease of my own in the quaint area of Old Town, Alexandria. No doubt I’ll be sharing photos of packing, moving and our new loft space once the madness has subsided!

A month later I was invited to celebrate the winners at an awards gala the the Crystal City Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

Ron Packard, Founder and CEO of K-12 gave a wonderful keynote address and the winners gave small speeches of their own.

All in all it was a great night had by all. Looking forward to next year!

A design conference I decided to attend, HOW, was hosted in the mile high city this year, and only 2.5 hours away sat Vail, beckoning me for a minor spa retreat.

From minute one on my Frontier flight (shameless plug, their service was amazing) I encountered the most amicable people I’ve met all year. From thoroughly attentive and helpful rental car associates, to cheerful small town coffee shop servers, to interesting and chatty Colorado natives, the entire trip was sublime.

During the off-season Vail boasts a local flavor I’ve come to admire. Husky, tanned 20-40 somethings are scattered everywhere, setting up their shops for the summer and enjoying each other till the next way of tourists arrive. And mountains without snow? Yes, they’re just as beautiful, and you can stare at them for hours without the risk of frostbite.

In between spa sessions I forced myself outdoors to enjoy the landscape. Regardless of my minor fear of heights I trekked up the mountain in a gondola, wincing every time a powerful gust of wind teetered me over the treetops. The view is always worth the ride.

Later I wandered out to Vail Village and caught the last of the Teva Mountain Games, and the only crowd I bumped into was jamming out to Julian Marley’s free concert. While I’m not a fan of mob scenes, everyone here was completely chill (and likely a little bit high).

PDAs and beads for everyone!

All in all, just what the doctor ordered to detoxify the brain. My only regret was that the whole affair was far too short.

I tend to ask a lot of questions, and it’s not because I merely inquisitive. They are an avenue of means to help me deliver the best photograph I can create for you. Here are three important questions I pose to all of my portrait clients:

1. How are your photos going to be used?
This is essential in helping me determine venue, gear, wardrobe… just about everything for your shoot. Are you posting these photos on Facebook, hanging them on your wall at home, giving them as gifts or all of the above?

2. What type of personality do you want to convey?
It might sound a little esoteric, but creative professional photographers aren’t just technically savvy… our profession involves a delicate interplay of artistic expression with technical expertise. We aren’t just taking a picture, we’re creating a portrait, and we want to know what type of personality you want to portray to your audience. Is this a business headshot that is meant to convey power, prestige and confidence, or do you want it to be relaxed, contemporary and fresh? Perhaps it’s meant to be more editorial in nature? Do you want your engagement photos to be fun, exciting, and vibrant or would you rather they be soft and romantic?

3. What do you want to hide?
Let’s face it, a lot of us are a bit camera shy. One little-known reason I got into the portraiture business is because I never liked how I looked in snapshots… so I practiced on myself, over and over and over again. It may have appeared a little narcissistic, but I learned how the smallest of elements can affect how you look in a photograph. So please disclose that “flaw” you want minimized and I’ll work my magic to flatter your favorite features**.

*Links are a collection of favorite photos from my flickr friends.
**Yes, that’s me, photographed by Marilyn Nieves.

This past week I had the pleasure of photographing the lovely Stef, Abbie, Amy & Leigh who won CityShopGirl’s Sex and the City likeness contest. Below are their “before” headshots and “after” glamourshots.

I wasn’t sure I could handle cranking out four super-glam portraits in less than an hour, but it worked! Hot mamas, they are, and nice to boot. Couldn’t have picked more deserving winners myself.

After:

Saturday morning, 6:00 AM, I step on to the National Mall. All is silent, but in the distance I see two enormous air-filled balloons. I step closer, and closer, and closer, until I get WHAPPED in the face with the sent of baby powder, flowers, and what is that… estrogen?

The Avon Walk for Life is a sight not to be missed. Thousands of women gather, smiling and half-awake for one common goal: to end breast cancer. And those distant balloons are actually inflated pillars with signatures and words of encouragement from women across the nation.

I weave in an out of the crowd, admittedly half-awake myself and listen to women chatter and hug as they get ready for their 2-day trek around DC. The opening ceremony begins, the voices lower to a murmur and I weave some more, laughing silently at the silly outfits many women don to lift their spirits and those of the other walkers.

Even though my nose is buried in my camera, I capture all of the morning’s speeches and admittedly tear-up more than once at the heartfelt stories from a few walkers. A man shares to the crowd how he recently lost his wife and best friend to breast cancer and how he’s here to walk in her honor and join the fight to end this disease for good.

The group then gets together for a quick stretch and an amazing announcement – they’ve raised more than $6.5 million for their battle! A war cry follows, and then they are off, waking-up and walking underneath a bright orange sunrise.

As they depart toward the Washington Monument they cheer, clap, and cry; bonding together as one, united, selfless front.

These days a website is like owning a property smack dab in the middle of the chaotic streets of NYC. You’ve got millions of neighbors all vying for attention. When you walk into that store, how long are you going to stay if you don’t see any smiling associates there to serve you? Having a high-quality website is essential in gaining and serving repeat clients, and having a high-quality headshot is essential in capturing that client’s attention in the first place.

In an age where “building your personal brand” is the new black, great portraiture is key. Cold, text-only “About Us” pages aren’t going to leave a good impression… they’re not going to leave any impression at all! Lawyers, politicians, and real estate agents have already adopted a “make it personal” mantra – their faces are plastered all over their marketing materials, and they have been for years because it works. The same argument can and should be made for so many different types of business in our digital era:

Consultants – I want to know who I will be working with for hours and hours on end.
(Aquent does this extremely well; as soon as you open their site you’re greeted with a big, smiling face)
Startups – Showcase your friendly face to help build your community of clients.
Restaurateurs – Introduce your chef (and their food!)
Fashionistas – Show off that wardrobe and practice what you preach!
Artists – Stop hiding behind your amazing work and get personal.
Hair stylists – Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to see and pick out your new hairdresser with only the click of your mouse?
Cleaning services – I would love to be able to put faces to the team that will be rummaging through my house while I’m miles away.
Bands – Singers are dreamy, we want to drool over them!

Even if you’re not in the market to spend thousands on an entirely new website, there’s no better beginning than to start with a warm, inviting headshot. And who doesn’t need a new, great facebook pic? It’s time to get noticed… and remembered!