To avoid a lot of these obstacles, I prefer to shoot at dawn.  The previous weekend, our plans had been rained out, but it was worth the scramble to rearrange schedules for the following weekend.  Not only did we avoid the crowds, but we had the most beautiful light.

I’m always fascinated by how relationships begin.  For Hope and Carey, theirs began years ago when they overlapped for a single summer of camp.  (Did you know here in DC people call Overnight Camp “Sleepaway Camp”?  That’s the linguist in me, but I digress….)  They didn’t exactly stay in touch over the years, but randomly met up with a group of friends and realized their previous connection.

Though the leaves were only just starting to change, I was so happy to capture a little of that early DC fall.  I know DC is known for its Spring and the Cherry Blossoms, but is it really possible to be more beautiful it is in October?

I know many photographers thrive on the excitement of the wedding day, but it’s the laid-back nature of an engagement session that continues to make them my favorite.  Even if, as in this case, I managed to hit myself in the head with my camera, then, after shooting another minute, realized I hadn’t given myself a black eye but rather had split my eyebrow open.  Having not even a tissue with me, I was extremely grateful that we had just taken this next shot right in front of the bathrooms. 

And I mean, I’m sure photographers almost knock themselves out with their own cameras all the time, so probably not even really comment-worthy.

Wishing Hope and Carey a beautiful wedding back in Hope’s home state of Florida in a couple months! 

- Danie Smallwood, Bethesda MD Engagement Photographer

Fast forward a few years, and I’ve learned that Carol is hardly the only artist in her family.  A couple months ago, I heard her son, Aaron Seeber, a jazz drummer, performing with his quartet (side note: my 4 year old son LOVED the music!), and Carol and I got to talking about photos for Aaron’s MySpace page and publicity images.  And so it was that the three of us met at 7am this morning (when it was already humid and nearly 80 degrees).  We even risked the wrath of the park’s grounds keepers, who helpfully informed us it was too early for drum playing in the park.

I’ll post more pictures later, but this was the one I saw on that little LCD screen at the park, and actually had to show Aaron and Carol right there.  Then I had to come home and edit it, and well…the rest will come, but here’s my current favorite from the morning!

Thanks for meeting me so early — always nice to beat the heat!

- Danie Smallwood, Bethesda MD photography

- Danie Smallwood, Charlottesville VA and Bethesda, MD senior portraits photographer

ps:  Business note update:  though originally planned as a 12 Days of Christmas series, leading up to Christmas, my last three days of material will now appear…someday…but not right now.  Colds and Christmas spirit made me realize that, while it’s fun to take a step back and look at the year, the project was starting to interfere with kid quality time, so away it goes!.

I hear all the time: “Engagement photography?  What?”  With all the pressure of a wedding approaching, an engagement session is a time to step back and let the photographer capture you simply enjoying time together.  In contrast to the excitement and intensity of the wedding day, your engagement session should be relaxed.  It’s also very personal — you’re only thinking about each other.  On a practical note, it’s also nice to have engagement photos to use on save-the-date cards or to display at a bridal shower.  Perhaps you have a wedding website and would like a few portraits to use there (yes, I will format the photos to make your web designer/web host happy!).

The above couple actually got engaged during our session — the fiance was from out of town, with few opportunities to make it up to DC, so he had not formally proposed, but they wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and their chance to be together to get portraits together.  (I was in on the little surprise!)  Actually photographing a proposal was a crazy-exciting experience!

Finally, a business note — many wedding photographers also do engagement sessions as part of a wedding package.  Since I do not shoot weddings, I tend to come in when the couple wants their engagement session here in Washington, DC (usually because one or both people live here), but are being married out of town.  Sound like you?  Don’t discount supplementing your beautiful [spring] wedding photos with some snowy backdrops here this winter!

- Danie

K’s Mom heard about my photography from Carol Freedman, of Carol Freedman Design, who actually helped us with wall color and furniture arrangement a few years ago when we bought our first house (she was so easy to work with, and very reasonable about our budget — I would guess we actually saved a lot of money working with her and getting things right the first time).  We’d fallen out of touch until I contacted her recently to share with her the positive feedback we’d gotten both from our realtor and from the buyers on the colors in the house (always nice to hear, right?!). Thanks, Carol, for the referral!

But back to K — it’s shoots like this that remind me why I love my job so much.  What better way to spend an afternoon than photography a beautiful senior, so excited about her future, enjoying the present; and helping her preserve some of these memories from home before she heads off to the West Coast (possibly!) for school next year?!  K — it was such a pleasure to meet you.  Enjoy your sneak peek for now — there’s lots more to come!

Did I mention that, as I write, we’re getting the rain I feared would come last night?!    Thank you, weather!

- Danie Smallwood | Bethesda, MD high school Senior Photographer

Updated 2/18/11: Client’s picks from our session — large share.

The photos tell the story of the morning — the first image is just after the proposal.  Then the following images work chronologically through a morning that just might stand out in my mind almost as much as Brea’s!  What they don’t tell is that this couple actually met because of photography — how that warms my heart! — when Omurhu spotted Brea taking pictures of the stadium after their grad school football team played a rival team…and the rest is history.

[To scroll through the pictures, click on any image and hit the forward/back arrows on your keyboard.]

Brea and Omurhu, you are definitely one of the most fun couples I have met.  It was a pleasure to meet you and I am so happy to have played a small part in this amazing experience.

- Danie

These pictures, taken on the National Mall, are also some of my earliest professional work, so this is a fun “blast from the past” for me on an afternoon even hotter than the one when these pictures were taken!

Little toddler boy “A” and big sister “N” were a real bundle of energy (was able to cancel my plans to go to the gym later!) but Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC was perfect for the photography — lots of stairs, beautiful pool and waterfalls, statues…lots to keep two fun kids busy and happy!  Even the weather cooperated — cool temperatures and mostly overcast skies, couldn’t ask for anything more!  It was a blast to photograph you guys!

Looking forward to next weekend, too, B-Fam!