unexpected photo shoot and my baby camera

On vacation....laying in the sun, no kids, no work, no tv, no phone.... nothing..... just Eric and I enjoying the solitude of the moment and the joy of being together without the hustle and bustle that normally surrounds us on a daily basis. No worries....
We relish the quiet, the solitude, the moment.  One day we decide to eat a quick bite and I decide that we need to take a photo of us in this beautiful place.. you know to remember it all, to prove to each other later that we really were there having a ball.  I whip out my tiny, go to, vacation camera, as I don't take my working camera on vacation... don't want to shoot, don't need to shoot, the baby camera is there just to document the moment for the two of us.  A small framed woman at the neighboring table jumps up and cheerfully offers to snap the memory.  We begin to talk.. we talk for what seems like hours.  Her husband joined us and we talk some more.  They join us for dinner that night and the next night too. At some point, they introduce us to their daughter...a tiny tot who is just a cheerful as her mom and as cute as a button too.
Mom explains during one of our conversations that she is just sick that she forgot her camera at home in Connecticut. She wants to go to Walmart in the neighboring town and get a click camera just to take pictures of her daughter.  Eric looks at me and smiles.  I look the other way and smile.  After about 10 seconds.. it's the photographer in me... I tell her that I'd love to shoot her daughter for her, if she wants me too and directs her to look at my website that night.  The next morning early, she called to arrange "the shoot" and I explained that I only had my baby camera so it would not be the best of shoots but I'd just take some pictures of her.  She was thrilled!

To my surprise.. mom dressed her up in all white and I began the shoot.  We had fun.. laughing, playing and mom and dad even joined in for a few.  She thanked me over and over again and upon our checkout she had  a handmade photo album presented to us by the clerk with a hand written note, once again expressing her gratitude. 

The unexpected photo shoot resulted in some really nice pictures.. even from my baby camera!
Proving to me that it's not the equipment you use, it's the passion that drives the memory! I was taken aback by the results.

Happy Friday Everyone!

More than Air - Kia & Mike's Whitehall Manor Wedding Remembered!

It's been a while now but it is a wedding that I will never forget.  In my mind the possibility of shooting it was, lets say, surreal.  I knew that it was going to be a big one..huge.. and I also knew, deep inside of my spirit that I could do it but getting it was another story.
Kia and her mom came to me one afternoon.  I sat with paper and pen ready to write down the details of her day but somewhere along the course of the conversation I set the paper and pen down and just answered the questions they tossed my way.  They had all of them on a checklist.. you know, from the bridal "make sure you don't forget anything"  list in the perfectly bound notebook.. mother and daughter both had one and I just sat and tried to answer. Suddenly it got really hot in the room and I knew that this was not going to happen for "a little bit of whimsy".  My kids, huddled on the floor on the catwalk above the greatroom where we met, began to quietly laugh at my attempts to answer.  I did my best and answered truthfully.  One question I just told mom.. "I'll have to get back to you on that one.  That is something I've never even thought about".  I could not lie.. but inside I had given up. Trust me, I was resolved with that.  At that moment, I knew that this wedding was just not for me, even though I wanted it more than air.
When they left, my kids recounted to me how ridiculous I sounded and shouted... " oh well.. you won't be shooting that one.."  We all laughed. Secretly, I wanted to cry.
About a week went by and I got a call from Kia saying... "we have chosen you and we want you to shoot my wedding".  I wish you could have seen my face and the shouts to God thanking him for making my wish come true when I hung up.
The wedding was just spectacular... the venue, the flowers, the cakes, the center pieces, the food, the luge, the photo booth, the Calypso band, the DJ, the desert cart with chocolate after dinner drink cups... EVERYTHING.. a photographer's dream.. and it was mine. I lost three pounds that day, I was so excited.
It has been years since Kia and Mike got married so I was very surprised and delighted when I received an e-mail from Kia a while back which said in part...

"Hi Delores,
 Every now and then, I feel nostalgic and check your website to look at our engagement and wedding pictures.  Mike and I regularly look through our wedding album (he recently confessed that he looks at it even more than I was aware of!)" ...............".......... this morning, I suddenly felt compelled to look at our wedding photos on your website.  Tears! Tears! Tears!  Happy tears and laughter, of course!  Well, it is 1 year and 8 months later and we are more in love than our wedding day and I just want to thank you and your husband again for beautifully capturing the start of our married journey and one of the happiest days of our life together!"
All the best,
Kia Mills

Thanks Kia & Mike and Mr & Mrs Tucker.. for trusting me when I was lifting off from my nest.. branching out and taking flight.  Your wedding taught me a lot about relationships, love and trust.
Trusting myself and trusting my passion for what I love to do...  Documenting your day was a culmination of all of the above and I Loved Every Minute Of It!!

Click HERE to see Kia and Mike's slideshow!

Robert + Eartha = Married Oxon Hill Manor Wedding

I saw rain drops early that morning and prayed for it to pass before Eartha woke up. I knew the wedding she had been planning for some time was unfolding and I wanted this day to be as perfect as she had planned in her minds eye. The hurricane was just glancing the coast and threatened rain but as the day progressed the remnants that told the story were just the overcast sky.When I arrived at Oxon Hill Manor and saw the white chairs lined perfectly in rows, I knew that the wedding would go forward as planned and Robert and Eartha would have their outdoor wedding.
Witnessing these two very special people get married was a joy for me. Every time I captured them in my lens Eartha seemed to glow with excitement, devotion, passion and love while at the same time Robert seemed to respond to her warm smile, relaxed, proud, passionate and in love. When they look into each others eyes and pause... there is that moment you are witnessing something powerful, electric and real...
Their prospective children walked with them to be at their side for this special day.  How great was that... two families joining or at least unwavering consent from those whom opinions mean the most to Robert and Eartha.  Robert with his beautiful daughter and Eartha with her handsome son.

Robert and Eartha thank you for allowing me to capture this awesome day and to get to know you over the past few months. I wish you both all the happiness in the world that your hearts can hold and minds can imagine.

To see more pictures of their day click here!

You two look incredible!

Please click HERE to see more of their wedding day.

August = A Family Reunion

The days of summer are nearly gone.. the kids are back in school and I am here reflecting on the days gone by.  In preparation for a wedding on Friday (come back soon to see) I came across these photos of our family. I am able to get in front of the camera when my brother, Mike, also a photographer, comes around and I am happy to have yet another photograph of my favorite people.  I don't often blog about my family because I like to keep this on-line journal about my work.. my photography. But in order to get to know me as your wedding photographer, I think it's helpful for you to peek inside of my world.. my head.. my thoughts, if you will, if you are going to trust me in yours for the day.

I am what I am because of God but I exist in a happy place because of my family. They bring me joy and peace everyday! I just love them.

I say all the time, I love spontaneous photos.. not posed.. random.. with mouths open and genuine precious smiles.  Ask any one of them (except dad.. my dad) and they will say they hate themselves in this picture.  I think the picture is simply beautiful because of the warmth of the moment.

Is it me or am i getting shorter than everybody?



My dad.. Eric and the girls!