Erin & Dave - Esession

It was a lazy Sunday evening when we met Erin and Dave at their DC condo. Just a few blocks from where Kristiaan and I shot our first wedding at Meridian Hill Park. Because the light was just so perfect, we began our escapades on the steps of the Masonic Temple. After that it was a fun and relaxing walk over to Dupont Circle where we couldnt have gotten any luckier with the sunset. We capped the night with a few beers and great conversation. Keep an eye out for their September 5th wedding at Lansdowne Resort.

Kelly & Lane - Esession

We had a terrific time shooting Kelly and Lane's e-session last weekend. I've gotten to know Kelly well, but hadn't had much time to talk to Lane. I must say that I approve of the match. :-)

We're SO excited about their wedding in Maine - only 4 weeks away!!!

Kelly's beautiful dog, Ellie, joined for a bit and although she wasn't feeling well, she's very photogenic. They chose Meridian Hill Park for the location and we were pleased as it brings back fond memories of our very first wedding almost exactly 2 years ago.

We finished up the night with a delicious dinner at Napoleon Bistro in Adams Morgan. "Someone" enjoyed their food so much they licked the plate... I'll NEVER say who exactly.

As we were departing, we got to meet the new puppy 'formerly known as Monti'. She is the most spastic creature I've ever come across. She made us all laugh and I've been immitating her at home ever since - breathing feverishly , chasing Lionel, and shaking my body around frantically!! Sorry - no pics of Monti, she moves too fast for us to capture. Maybe at the wedding.

Here are some faves from the day:

Bonnie and Andrew - Love Session

What is a Love Session you ask? Well its simply a post wedding engagement session. Since we didn't have enough time between their booking and wedding we agreed to do a Cherry Blossoms session during the peak weekend. Although we arrived early (7am) we still had to navigate a surprisingly busy crowd in addition to battling a pretty tempestuous wind. Still, Bonnie and Andrew were total troopers and we had a great time with them. Afterwards we stopped by the Belga Cafe for an amazing brunch!

Supporting Education in DC

I promised myself I would be more active in my community this year and here is action no. 1 !

Critical Exposure is a nonprofit organization that teaches middle and high school students to document issues that impact their lives through photography and to use their images and voices to advocate for change. The organization has worked with more than 350 students in D.C. and across the country. These students have helped to secure more than $100 million to improve public school facilities, supported campaigns to address youth homelessness and teen pregnancy, and are now working to address D.C.'s dropout crisis.

They are not only teaching these kids a valuable skill, but more importantly, they are giving them a voice.

Last week I volunteered, along with other local photographers, to work with some of the kids on their projects. Nicole (SOTA DZINE) and I worked with Chrystal, a high-school senior who wants to highlight absenteeism as a serious problem in DC schools. We discussed the reasons that kids don't come to school along with the consequences and how she could illustrate that through photography. We also went outside with our cameras and gave her some pointers on composition and lighting to help her make more thoughtful images.

I look forward to doing more work with this organization. What they do is so very important and they need all the help they can get! Last year I led a small camera drive for them and donated some of my prints for an auction. If you have time or money to donate, I highly recommend contacting them. It feels great to help!

CRITICAL EXPOSURE
1816 12th Street NW | 3rd Floor | Washington, DC 20009
www.criticalexposure.org | info@criticalexposure.org | 202-745-3745x20

Here are a few images from our class:
(all photos courtesy of Adam Levner, Critical Exposure)