Having only recently heard of the "Trash the Dress" phenomenon in wedding photography, I found myself inspired a few weeks ago. I had two bridesmaid dresses that had been sitting in my closet for a number of years, with no hope of reuse. "What ideal material for an experiment!" I thought. I simply had to find an eager subject to fill the dresses, and I'd be in business.

As luck would have it, a friend of mine, Meghan, happened to both fit the dresses and be up for some outdoor shenanigans. We arranged a date, and with the help of our mutual friend Stephanie, made our way to Patapsco State Park one hot Sunday afternoon. Then the fun began...

I simply have a weakness for dappled light. So after checking the general area carefully for poison ivy, biting bugs, and other potential hazards of the outdoors, Meghan lay down peacefully in the vibrant green of the forest.

After awhile, Meghan willingly plunged herself into the river, creating quite a show. She was playful and daring, willing to brave the slippery rocks in the service of the photo shoot.

My favorite of the in-the-river portion of mistreating the dresses was when the sun happened to hit the water in just the right way... We had timed it well, arriving about an hour before sunset, just before it gets dark in the park.

The texture of the fabric and water tantalized me, even in a black and white variation:

You can see the full set of portraits in the client gallery.

Megan and David have been married for a number of years, have three beautiful children, and love each other very much. This photo was taken after their son Adam's fifth birthday party was over, and all the kids were in bed.

It's amazing how much fun you can have with a fireworks sale.

While exploring behind one of the cabins that we stayed at in Table Rock State Park in South Carolina, we found what we thought were some abandoned fish hatcheries. The deep cement troughs had become overgrown and moss-covered, making for an eerie environment.

Later on, I made it a point to escape out there by myself to take some shots. Without having any other models available to me, I simply set up my tripod with a self-timer, and struck a few poses.

Some technical thoughts: Because I was working alone, I was able to carefully tweak the white balance and exposure to give myself the best possible RAW file to work with in Photoshop. Post-processing is very easy if you've got the in-camera capture right, and it was nice to take the time beforehand exactly the right settings--you save a lot of time afterwards!

After Paul and Shelli's wedding on Sunday, I also pulled aside a few of the teenagers who attend Holy Cross for an impromptu portrait session by that gorgeous magnolia tree.

Bethany is a friendly and engaging teenager, going into her junior year. She's sparklingly smart, and about to study her brains out at community college for the next two years, earning college credit along the way. Go Bethany!

It was very easy to get her to laugh, which makes for a great photo, since she has such a wonderful smile.

Ivan is an uber-smart senior who's pondering what lies ahead for college. International relations, perhaps? Anything seems possible, especially since he already speaks a few languages. Go Ivan!

Willingly and patiently, Ivan let me dance around him for awhile. Later on, I hope to get a portrait session of him with his musical instrument(s).

This is my grandmother, Louise. She passed away on Monday the 20th, and I am are traveling to Massachusetts this weekend to attend the memorial service. She was 96.

I took this photo in 2002. I was in the middle of college, just beginning to study photography. She loved hearing about my classes, and always asked me what I was interested in photographing. Always encouraging, always affirming, sharp as a tack, and taught me so much about kindness and womanhood.

Of course I love this portrait for its sentimental value, but it has other qualities that I enjoy--the rich texture of her hair, the slight texture in the background, and the overall pose.

I wish I had taken more pictures of her when I had the chance.

Stephanie Lewis is a friend of mine who has a little jewelry workshop in her basement where she works with fine metals and gemstones. She recently invited me to photograph a little bit of her metalworking play.

She has amassed quite a collection of tools!

Metalworking requires a great deal of patience, it seems, and meticulousness; she saves even the tiniest bit of shavings to eventually be melted down into new sheets and re-used.

By far one of the most interesting things about her workshop is that she often works in near-darkness. This photo was taken with the barest sliver of daylight coming in through heavy curtains. The darkness helps her to see the temperature of the metal and remain sensitive to her materials.

You can see and purchase her lovely work at her Etsy store!

For awhile now I've been working on an ongoing series about iconography and everyday spiritual life, entitled Women with Icons. The series is difficult; each portrait is of a completely different person, whom I may or may not have met, and the conditions under which I photograph are quite various. Each time I am forced to find a new approach to the subject--a new angle, a new conversation, a new connection.

Caroline's portrait was no different. In fact, it was probably one of the most difficult portraits I've done in awhile. I shot it on a lovely afternoon in June; she invited me to her home to meet her lovely son and husband, and we went to a few neighborhood spots to wander around and enjoy the weather. The shoot went well, and I came home with plenty of material.

But that's when my problem arose: indecision. I sat on the few portraits I had singled out as ones that I had liked--sat on them for months on end. It has only been in these past few weeks, after what feels like decades of "living with" these images that I feel I could finally bring the single image of Caroline and St. Nina to light.

I chose this image from among others for a variety of reasons. Caroline is smiling and looking outward, revealing her eager and observant personality. She is relaxed--leaning against the metal grate, which has a harsh texture, but a regular pattern. The icon stands out well against the dark background, and is cradled gently in her hands. I think it is the gesture and simplicity that drew me to this particular pose, and I hope I have captured something precious of both the saint and believer.

On December 7th, 2007, I became a mother!

This is an exciting new role for me, and as many mothers do, I have fallen completely in love with my daughter, Ruth. She's such a joy to be with and behold, in spite of all the work and change.

It's a challenge, too, to photograph her changing moods and growth. It's like they morph right before your very eyes!

Her father and I are proud parents, and we can't wait for the rest of this journey. I can't wait to photograph more babies!

Julia Lewis is on her way.

Mother Stephanie is relaxing while awaiting her arrival.

Joe, the proud father, joins her.

By far, this shot is my favorite from the session. Joe and Steph had relaxed a bit and were playfully teasing each other.

We're all very excited to finally meet Julia.

Last Saturday, my two friends (both coincidentally named "Nat") and I went out to Druid Hill Park in Baltimore to have a little fun. After a stop off at Vogue Revisited for some fun accessories, we ran around!

I learned a lot during this shoot; a lovely warm-up for the wedding season. For one thing, the overcast sky made for beautiful light bouncing from all over. And although the clouds threatened rain, they made for wonderful dramatic skies. We didn't get to spend as much time as I'd have liked, seeing as how it was freezing cold and my hands stopped working after an hour and a half. But we had a blast, and I ended up with some very nice shots.

It's always great to see old friends. Every few years, my college roommates and I get together for a week or so of visiting. Raina flew in from Washington state, and I traveled up to Harrisburg, where we met Sonja.

We met our friend Jenny at a diner to catch up.

Jerrold, Sonja's friend, wandered around Harrisburg with me and took photos of us meandering.

We wound our way through alleys and around abandoned buildings, overrun by plant life.

We passed by a dumpster where we found this amazingly decrepit couch. The sky was overcast and dramatic; the dampness really brought out the colors in this shot; perfect natural lighting.

We finished the evening off at a sushi restaurant, with an enormous selection and lovely wine.

After sushi, Sonja's band Smoke the Groove tore up an art opening. This shot, while a little noisy, has a lot of color that I really like.

This portrait was taken four years ago.

Four years ago I was newly married. Four years ago I worked mainly in film, and loved the grain from 1600 speed film so much I'd buy it by the case so I could shoot in the dark. Four years ago I graduated college. Four years ago my grandmother was still alive.

Amazing what time does to your life!

I love photographing children.

They keep you on your toes by having another agenda.

And sometimes capturing people at just the right moment...

...can be the most fun thing in the world.

The other day, while running through my stacks of old prints and negatives, I found these self-portraits I took during the heat of the Baltimore summer.

The idea I was working with was that I would take self-portraits in clothing and surroundings of matching colors, and strike poses that evoked emotions that I associated with each color.

So far, of course, I only got to red and blue. Perhaps more colors are in order this summer.

Sylvia and Mike have been married for about a year, and asked me to take their portrait this spring, while all the blooms were coming alive in Sherwood Gardens, near where they live.

The tulips were in full bloom--an amazingly varied array of color. The park was quite crowded, with tons of people flocking to picnic on the green grass. It almost looked like one of those French impressionist paintings from the turn of the century!

Their affection for each other is clear. Of course, it took a little loosening up for them to be less conscious of me, and to relax and enjoy each other. That's the toughest part about being photographed--knowing what to do with yourself or your hands. It's a bit like being an actor trying to portray one's self.

I wish Sylvia and Mike many more years of wedded bliss.

Little Zenaida got a baby brother recently. His name is Aiden.

She and mom are adjusting well to their new roles and new demands. Aiden is a beautiful pudgy boy, with his own very distinctive grunt, his hands in perpetual motion when awake. He downs a bottle eagerly.

When I visited them, Zenaida had just woken up from a nap, her hair tousled, but she was very eager to make friends.

Aiden is quite the darling; I'm sure that Zenaida will make a great older sister, and that he'll be a captive audience for her antics.