Revisiting the Cathedral… and Celebrating Another Year!

I had the opportunity last month to revisit the National Cathedral for a portrait session of a young lady celebrating a milestone birthday.  This was the first time I’d been back since the earthquake last year, and I actually forgot that they had sustained some damage during that quake.   I was astonished at how much damage there was at the cathedral with all of the scaffolding that I was trying to dodge with my lens.  As the young lady had make-up applied, I took the opportunity to look around the interiors of the cathedral… WOW!!!!! I was speechless!  Just like when I visited the Holocaust Memorial, I was thinking about all of the money that was needed to make this Cathedral a reality.  There were so many details and such high beautiful ceilings.

I have included some photos of the inside of the cathedral as well as some of my favorites from this portrait session.  She was definitely a trooper because while we were out there, it started to rain, and she was out there braving the elements!  All in all, I love the end product, and I was so excited that I was able to get some  structural shots without the scaffolding and other signs of construction and repair!

By the way, if you see something you like, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

The DetailsAn altarThe CandlesJas1Fashion ShotsI Look to YouClose UpDancing in the Rain

Moments with the one who looks like me sometimes!

Well for most of my life, well at least as long as I could remember the phrase, I have heard, “You look just like you mother.”  As I got a little older, it became, “She just spit you out.”  I can even recall one time when I was in high school or undergrad, someone asked, “Are you sisters?”  I was like, come on now, that may be a compliment to her, but you are adding like 20 years to me (sadly I have to admit that at that time, I may have been a tad bit vain, just a little).  Anyway, she went natural (with her hair) before I did, and once I did let the relaxer go, I still kept my hair straight, while straight for mom has been maybe 2 times since 2002.  Needless to say, I don’t hear of how much we look as often now as I used to when we both donned the straight, flowing tresses, but still people will come up to me and say, “I saw your mama, and you look just like her.”  This is where the phrase “the one who looks like me sometimes” comes from.

Well, one Sunday a few weeks ago, I pieced an outfit together of what I had.  I was in Delaware, so I did not have my entire wardrobe at my disposal, and I sadly I forgot to bring the shoes that I would have rather worn with this particular outfit, but it worked. I paired a white summer dress with purple flowers with a classic ruffled black sweater, a black braided belt and some black strappy sandels that my mother purchased for me a few years ago.   On my way out the door, mom saw me and complimented me on the ensemble.  Well, fast forward 3 or 4 hours to when her and dad came home from church.  How shocked I was to see her white summer dress with yellow flowers paired with a black sweater and a black belt and the yellow version of the shoes she had purchased for me.  Honestly, mom was jocking the entire outfit – really!  So then she got this idea that we should go outside and take pictures, and of course I was game for that!  She went into her stash and found some gorgeous purple jewelry to accessorize my outfit, and then we went from there.

I hope you all realize that I was just playing around when I said my mom was jocking the entire outfit.  Ok, maybe there was a little truth there, but really, most of the outfit that I was wearing was from her closet.  I purchased the white dress, but that was her sweater that I keep trying to convince her to pass on my way, and she had just given me the belt that night before (I did not beg her for that, but was thankful for the addition), and of course she purchased the shoes.  So… perhaps… we may like some similar styles, I just like think I add a younger twist to it.  Nevertheless, below are some images from our mini-shoot.  I thank my Dad for joining the Victoria J. Productions payroll in taking these shots! By the way Dad, your check will be forthcoming – I’ll have my people call your people 😉

Below are some of the images from our quick after-service session!  We did the Kid-N-Play move at one point, and some other poses.  I hope that my clients can see that I don’t ask them to do anything that I won’t do myself, like being really exaggerated (see the walking pose) and laughing on the spot.  It all adds to the energy and excitement that will be captured in the frame!  Enjoy!

MeMom and IThe Kid-N-Play ThingWalking Too

 

Thank You Mom for all that you are, all that you’ve sacrificed, and all that you have been and will be in my life!!!!!  I love you immensely!

Mom

Doesn’t Time Fly?!

I snapped a quick photo yesterday of a woman and her daughters.  As I looked a the photo, I remembered when I first met her over three years ago before her youngest daughter was married and when she was still taller than her oldest daughter.  It is just amazing how quickly time flies.  When I met her, I did not even have this blog!  But looking at the photo, I am just so excited to see how beautiful the girls are growing up to be and how much brighter her smile is from before.  It reminds me of how enough times we see things getting better with time – Thank You Lord!

 

Tanya and the Girls

Shh… He’s Sleeping :: Sneak Peek

Earlier today, I photographed a friend and her two children.  Now mom and daughter were pros at this whole photo shoot thing, but baby boy was new to it… Wouldn’t you know, by the time I started photographing him, he had the nerve to get sleepy!  Well, unlike us adult folks who will work until our bodies just give out or get sick, he went on and got his nap in… and we worked with it!  It was a pleasure working with him, and his big sister and mother!  One of the highlights was the end of the session after I had put my camera away and was getting ready to break down my lighting gear.  I looked over and saw big sister laying under the table that we had her brother propped up on.  She was clearly hiding from her mom, but I had to go with it!  At some point, her mom asked where she was, and I lied (only for the sake of the photo) and said I think she was upstairs.  Anyway, mom got a kick out of the photo once she saw the finished product.  Definitely like mother, like daughter.  Here is a sneak peek of this session, and more will come later!

Moore 2 Piece Special