For our honeymoon, my husband Stephen and I decided that we would make our way to the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN. With the exception of this past year, we've made it back every summer (Steve went solo for '08). One of the things I love about the festival is that there's plenty of free water, in both drinkable and drenchable form. It gets HOT out there, and so the central fountain is always an excellent spot to stop and refresh yourself.

To top it off, though, each year they redecorate the fountain in some fashion. My favorite year so far has been their crazy checkerboard pattern, which made you feel like you were a part of some psychedelic Alice in Wonderland event.

A little HOLGA action always helps to enhance it, of course.

In this shot, the subject matter is interesting in itself; the challenge was (and always is, with things like this) to make a photograph that incorporates a little something extra. I almost find those kinds of challenges more easy than trying to make an "everyday" object interesting.

My daughter occasionally offers me some sand for consumption.

"Thank you, darling. I'm already full."

A peaceful shoreline for a turbulent day.

Taken at Folly Beach, SC.

Over a year ago, I photographed my three nephews on a playground.

This year, I photographed them on the front stoop of a beautiful house in Charleston, SC.

They grow up so fast!

On a whim, I occasionally make crosses out of the stuff I find lying around.

I'm not sure if they "work" as photographs, or if the symbolism of a cross is simply overdone. But it's a game I play, and I figured I'd share.

By far, my favorite is the one made of freshly-cut grass:

I enjoy the semi-permanence of sand writing. The beach is like a giant tablet, waiting to be drawn and re-drawn. On my way down to Folly Beach, Stephen and I came up with strange phrases to write in the sand that I could photograph. This one, I think, is the most terrifying, yet I find it beautiful and poignant.

I'm not sure what provoked me to pick this phrase; perhaps the loneliness of it attracted me. I've gone through periods in life where I've felt terribly lonely, despite being surrounded by friends, or loneliness where all my friends had indeed left for elsewhere. These words capture those feelings for me, and I photographed them one by one to emphasize how pounding and relentless and all-consuming every moment of loneliness can feel. Each word takes up an entire frame, as each lonely moment feels like it can stretch on forever.

When they're not falling from the sky, they're gracing our lives in decorative ways.

a variation on this photograph

A miniature photo essay on nature, looking up, out, and down, from empty & untouched to grounded & manipulated.

Break the rules: shoot into the sun. Sometimes it's worth it just to see what comes out.

This is why I'm such a huge fan of toy cameras. If I could shoot an entire wedding using toy cameras, I think I'd have a field day. The light effects and quirky lenses have their own magic, not to mention the lost texture of film. And what a compositional and technical challenge to meet as well!

As long as there's film to be had, my toy cameras will be at my side.

Every now and then, a little fooling around frees me, lets in some fresh light, and helps me not to take everything too seriously.

"Steve rocks" indeed, and now we discover just how horrifically distorting a fisheye lens can be.

I'm glad I wasn't wearing stripes at the time!

This past Saturday, September 27th, Joe and Liz tied the knot at Morningside Inn in Frederick, Maryland!

On the drive in, the sky was overcast with some fantastic-looking clouds. It drizzled lightly. Upon arrival, I hung out with the groom and groomsmen while we waited for the bride to arrive. Joe and his pals were at ease and jocular.

An on-site catering staffer had pulled a pickup truck near the groom's room, so they all piled in and out of the truck bed for a playful shot. You can see the rain fell onto my lens in the middle of this shot; it was starting to get quite wet out there!

Liz arrived, and I snuck away to meet her. Her mother helped her put on some beautiful pearls.

Liz's lovely friends toasted her with champagne.

We dashed outside to take some pictures, but then it began to rain more heavily. Our hopes for an outdoor ceremony were dashed.

I loved the bridesmaid's hair--it looks like someone sprinkled their heads with stars.

After the ceremony and family portraits, it began to rain even more, but Joe and Liz offered to run out to the gazebo and grab some fun shots of them in the rain under the little roof. My flash froze some of the raindrops in mid-air.

They were very relaxed and gladly kissed for my camera.

And this shot is so sweet and affectionate.

We dashed through the torrent back to the reception; I trailed the bride and groom with my camera, and got soaked (SO worth it, though!).

They shared their first dance...

And the rest of the party joined in for a little YMCA...

Some family embraces from the longest-married couple in the room--over 50 years!

And a groomsman ham's it up for me. "Get a picture of me chowing this cake!" he said. Snap snap, here it is--an extreme hunger for cake, folks!

Many thanks to Heather, the wedding coordinator, for all her hard work. And a big thank-you to the Wensus and Horrell families, who let me document their special day. May Joe and Liz have many years of happiness!

A bride to be recently told me about a conversation with a caterer who pressured her to spend more money on food. She said, "He told me that if I hadn't 'blown all my money on the venue,' that maybe I would have been able to afford their catering." Understandably, she wasn't offended by the idea that she couldn't afford their catering, but by the manner in which he spoke to her. "Blown all my money?" she said, "I'd rather you just tell me that you're out of my price range; it's much more polite."

I couldn't agree more. And listening to her story underscored why I do my best to meet people where they're at in their wedding budget.

The most important thing to me is that my pricing enables me to work with good people who want to hire me because of my photographic style. As a photographer, I see how important it is that clients get the kind of photography they want for their day, and it pains me when price ends up being a very prohibitive factor.

That's why I tend to favor an a la carte approach to pricing. Doing so ensures that there's a wide price range available for the wedding couples looking for photography. So if you're really gung-ho about my work, but can't afford all the bells and whistles, there's probably a package for you.

What it comes down to for me is this: It's energizing to be around people who are as excited about having me at their wedding as I am about shooting their wedding. It feeds my creativity, gives me energy, and keeps me excited about my work! Win-win all around.

Plus, being flexible and having fun means you get genuine moments like this!

In one corner, we have our challenger, Green! You may remember him from such films as Spring and Summer. He's all over your least favorite vegetables, but boy, our forests would be ugly without him.

And now I give you Blue, the long-standing much-loved champion! Everybody's favorite color. Gracing the blooms of forget-me-not and morning glories, it's hard to see how this winner could lose out.

What'll it be, folks, what'll it be?

What could be better than a sunset on the beach?

A cute kid playing in the sunset on the beach.

So I had some excellent luck at the thrift store the other day, and picked up a huge bolt of incredibly bright orange velveteen fabric. A trip to the grocery store for an orange and some crackers, plus a lovely felt hat from Frosting Couture made this ensemble perfect.

Originally, I was thinking that I would find an orange piece of clothing to wear for the shoot, but then realized that I would probably never wear it again, ever. So, off came the shirt (it wasn't even a complimentary color)! What I liked about this shot was that I set up the tripod so it was looking down on me, but then laid myself at an angle so as to make it seem like you can't really feel where gravity is supposed to be.

Which format do you like better--square, or rectangular? I think both work, but I can't make up my mind.

I keep a sketchbook. It keeps track of ideas that I have. I like to collage, mostly, but occasionally I break out the sketching pencils, or play with altering photographs.

I love breakfast. Love it. My favorite food for breakfast is eggs, almost any style. I think that by far one of my favorite breakfasts ever was at One Centre Street Inn when I photographed my cousin Martha's wedding on Cape Cod.

Now that I'm home, of course, I fry eggs, scramble them, poach them, or what have you, and indulge in my other favorite breakfast food: home-ground freshly brewed coffee.

Plus, the light in my kitchen is so romantic in the morning. How could you not love breakfast?

Betsy and Whitney were married in a lovely outdoor ceremony at Chase Court, on October 3, 2008. It's a beautiful privately-owned historic building, with striking architecture. It lies hidden away in Baltimore city, tucked between a church and another large building nearby.

On a table, waiting, their guests names sparkled in the afternoon light.

Betsy got ready, enjoying the time spent with her bridesmaids and close friends.

Betsy and Whitney chose their date to honor Betsy's parents, who were also married on that date. A few years ago, Betsy's father passed away, and she remembered him with a charm on her bouquet.

Her mother walked her down the aisle and fixed her train on her way to the altar. After poetry, vows, and rings, they kissed!

At the reception, the groom talked and laughed with friends.

In lieu of a wedding cake, Betsy & Whitney opted to have fresh Berger cookies, a Baltimore favorite, instead!

As often happens, folks kicked off their shoes to facilitate some wild dancing.

Kayla, the flower girl, made the most of the dance floor, stealing the spotlight and singing along to a catchy tune for everyone to see.

And of course, everyone joined in on the fun after the food (provided by Biddle Street Catering) was gone, with music provided by Kode Bleuu.

I wish the new family, Betsy, Whitney, and Kayla, many years of happiness!

Get Rich Slowly, one of my favorite personal finance blogs, recently wrote about having a low-cost wedding, having written about "Beating the High Cost of Weddings" in the past. Another favorite blogger of mine, Ramit Sethi, over at I Will Teach You To Be Rich, has also written about this topic.

I think this is a great phenomenon.

What makes a meaningful and exciting (read: fun to photograph) wedding is primarily the energy and the atmosphere of the people involved. Of course, a beautiful locale, fancy dresses, and delicious food can certainly help get everyone in a celebratory mood. But the source of the celebration is you.

By far, the most important thing about your wedding is that it reflects your budget, values, and priorities. Of course, as a wedding photographer I would love it if those three things meant that you were leaving room for quality photography (wink wink).

The alternative isn't always bad, though. It is true that the technology behind the latest cameras has put a lot of power in the hands of amateur enthusiasts and semi-pros. The democratic (and by that I mean "open to everyone") nature of photography is what got me started in the first place! And while I have been able to learn a lot, I have a long way to go myself. (For instance, I will forever admire the technical skills of The Strobist.)

But if what's ahead of us is that everyone will be cutting back on their expenses--weddings included--it's my hope that the emphasis on thinking creatively, cutting back, doing it yourself, and involving your family in the planning will bring families and friends even closer together.

Ultimately, a great time can be had with a lavish affair or a small bash in your backyard; both are fun to photograph.

That said, thrifty brides should head over to A Practical Wedding (which I found through Get Rich Slowly's feature this week) for inspirational, low-cost wedding stories and tips!

Even the smallest everyday things can inspire me to set up a photograph. The other day while cooking I noticed that some of Ruth's wooden blocks I had found at a thrift store matched this apron I bought at the dollar store. Add salt & pepper shaker monkeys from my sister-in-law, and there you have it.

Strange, no?

I have a collection of old things. Some are meaningful family heirlooms, others are old photographs or interesting pieces of junk I picked up at antique and thrift stores. Things that are worn and used feel loved to me. I don't think I could ever have a house with completely modern design in it because of that--I would find it attractive, but it would lack the texture and variety that I like to have in my visual environment.

Even some of my old mass-produced photographs from when I was a teenager are developing their own texture through degradation. These photos of my grandparents, for instance. It's beautiful to watch the silver oxidize and solarize the photograph.

My grandmother Louise (from the first photograph) has passed away, and watching her image slowly degrade is a chilling reminder of how people can fade from your memory. I sing her lullabies to my daughter, and tell her "I love you to pieces," like grandma used to tell me. One day I'll teach her how to blow bubbles with her hands, and I hope to pick up an old-fashioned egg-beater so that we can make suds together in the tub. Just like I did with grandma.

I had some spare time to continue my self-portrait series this month!

This shot sprung fully-formed from my brain. I had a sheet on which I had written my favorite words back in college, and I knew I had to use that in some fashion. Plastic wrap was used to create an interesting texture, and I gathered some fall leaves and colors to accent the whole thing.

It was important to me that yellow, like orange, be an up-close shot. I feel as though the shots I'm taking are pairing off into sets of colors that are linked, in my mind.