Our 24 Hr Adventure - Hawk Mountain, Kempton PA 5-25-13

It's been a busy time as of late and I am a firm believer in taking a BREAK to have a little FUN!
Fun with the people (or person in this case) that mean the most to you or that one person you KNOW you can have a BLAST with, no matter what you are doing.

Memorial day weekend was fast approaching. Jess and I had discussed taking a break and getting away for the weekend or at the very least an overnighter. Midweek rolled around with our busy schedules and no plans had been made. We wanted to avoid the shore, avoid I-95 and enjoy a quiet time together. I started digging around the Pocono area and came across Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, just about an hour away in Kempton, PA. Upon further investigation I came across Hawk Mountain Bed & Breakfast and they had a room available...booked the room and we now have a plan.

One of the things that interested both of us was A Mountain Moonwalk they were offering at the Sanctuary. I booked the room first and later discovered the moonwalk was full. BUMMER. The guided trail walk only happens during a full moon and apparently fills fast because it's limited to 15 people and allows you in the sanctuary after dusk. We were disappointed but still excited to explore the mountains of PA so close by and maybe see some cool raptors on our expedition.

When we arrived to the sanctuary late Saturday afternoon I nonchalantly asked if any openings had become available for the moonwalk...sure enough 2 spots opened up! We hit the trails for about an hour and a half, grabbed some dinner and supplies and headed back to the Visitors Center for our 2 hour Moonwalk. Of course I embarrassed Jess (and most likely myself) by asking our guide if anyone has ever done the moonwalk, on the moonwalk.

We ended up exploring around town and not getting back to our room until about 2 am. We almost missed breakfast the next day (which was excellent) before showering quick and heading back to the Sanctuary. We didn't see more than 2 hawks in the far distance but did see some gorgeous views of Pennsylvania.

We checked in at the B&B 3:30 on Saturday and left Hawk Mountain Sunday sat 3:30. 24 hours of enjoying each other, nature, and our adventure and documenting it with our cameras.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! I hope you took a BREAK. Life is busy, sometimes you have to slow your roll, spend time with the one you love, make an adventure, enjoy nature, breathe and enjoy all that is around you. Repeat as necessary.

Enjoy some photos from our 24-hour adventure...

Brynn & Todd - A Valley Green Engagement Shoot 5-4-13

Spring is here, love is in the air and my wedding season has officially started! Expect to see a lot more popping up on the blog (or on the new website that is coming), including quite a few engagement shoots. Do I need to go into why I love engagement shoots again? OK, I will, very quickly... I get to know you more and you get know me more. You get to know how I work and I get to know how WE work. It's a practice run for the big day!

Meet Brynn, Todd and Camillo. I met them shortly before I shot Todd's brother, Tim and Cara's wedding last October.
I went to high school with Tim's wife, Cara. Confused? Don't be.

Brynn and Todd wanted to include Todd's son, Camillo, for the first part of the engagement shoot since he is A. Such a HAM in front of the camera and B. He is such an important part of their lives. I remember Camillo following us at his Uncle Tim's wedding, documenting the day with the cameras that were left on the guests' tables. I see a photographer in the making!

We started out at the Valley Green Inn. For those that don't know, it is a restaurant in the middle of the woods in Wissahickon Park. They also host weddings and were hosting one along the creek when we arrived. We shot around with Camillo for the first half hour, then left him with grandmom for the next hour exploring the area nearby.

Assisting me again was my wonderful fiance Jessica, who did a great job!
You'll see some of her pics below.

Brynn, Todd and Camillo, thanks for spending the early afternoon with us...can't wait for June 29th!
On with some pics...

Told you he was a HAM!

Jess captured the pic on the right, such a tender moment.

Pic above by Jess.

Pic on left and right by Jess.

Love this candid Jess caught of Todd looking cool, calm and collected.

Hannah & Patrick - A Baltimore Engagement Shoot 4-27-13

"I'm here...time to share some close moments in front of a stranger with a camera!" WHAAAAAAT?!?!

Meet Hannah and Patrick. Our first initial meeting was via Skype and lasted no more than 20 minutes. They were both extremely kind, friendly and CLEARLY meant for each other. Not only could I see that from our short virtual meet, I knew beforehand they were good peeps - they were directed my way from friends and past wedding clients, Kathy and Jason.

The idea was to shoot around Hannah's (soon to be Hannah AND Patrick's) neighborhood just minutes away from the Inner Harbor in Baltimore MD. But before we got to shooting, I thought it would be nice to have a light lunch with them to get to know them a little. I wanted to put them at ease and not have them jump in front of my camera without feeling comfortable. We shared many laughs getting to know each other over some excellent pizza they graciously treated me to from Joe Squared. I explained my approach to them again, asked how they met, what they both did for a living, and found out quite a bit more about them. I'll stress it again...I want to know my clients and for us to feel like friends before their wedding day.

After lunch we set out on foot for a bit to a couple areas including the Maryland College of Art and a very interesting place known to locals as "Graffiti Alley". We then got in the car and traveled to an AMAZING tulip garden nearby for some shots. It was a beautiful day and the garden was packed with hundreds of people but we of course, snuck some shots. We rounded out in their actual neighborhood where they changed and grabbed some balloons just for fun.

Hannah and Patrick, it was great to meet you and spend the afternoon with you! Can't wait to see you guys again for your wedding in Rockville, MD!

On with some pics...