Yo, Josh!? Where have you been?!  It’s has been a minute, eh?  This is my first blog post in a few months.  I miss it.  Real talk, this pandemic slash quarantine was not easy.  Just before Christmas, I decided that I needed a break.   I needed a break from the socials, a break from the news, some distance from the hustle.  This break, albeit necessary, wasn’t easy to do.  I have been on this photo grind for almost half my life.  Before I shot weddings before I was a photo assistant, before I moved to America, art and photo were my life. 

Ok cool, so where you at now, Josh?  What’s up!? What’s next?!   I’m ready.  Ready, and amped to keep this grind moving.  Ready to build new momentum and more ready, and focused on creating new and amazing images than I have ever been.  I look forward to expanding my skill set, trying new things, and learning new techniques.

I. Am. Ready.

This year I look forward to posting more blogs on a variety of topics, not just photos and I may even start daily blogging.  More video content, more drones, and more design work. 

 For real - let’s collaborate. Let’s build something, let’s get coffee, let’s meet up and go for a walk or bike ride, 

Let’s do this!

Ah, these two.  My little homies, best buds, and two favorite people in the world.

Since our worlds changed this time last year, Jalen and Birdie have grown a lot.  At the same time, in some ways, they sort of stayed in the same place, no pun intended.  When the news came in that they would be staying home from school, they both had mixed emotions.  On one hand excited to be home, on the other, they were sad to be missing their friends and all the activities at school. As much as education is important, at their age socialization and the playground are equally important.  It was sad to see them miss out on that.

Then the Zoom meetings started.  This was a whole new world for us.  And real talk, at first it wasn’t easy, as with any adjustment to the norm.  But slowly with the help of the school, we made it work and got into a rhythm.

These days the kids are back at school for a half-day, come home for lunch then jump back on zoom calls at 2 pm, and most of the time they manage to log in and be ready without my help.

Spring is on the horizon.  Vaccines are available.  Brighter days ahead.

Another super fun Photo Walk in the books!  For this session, I met up with a former bride, Erin to spend some time covering the fundamentals of shooting in manual mode in Old City Philly!  Erin is a Philly girl at heart, so she felt right at home.  We talked about the importance of ISO, the relationship between F-Stop and shutter speeds, and how when used properly will help capture the image that you are envisioning.  For a lot of photographers starting out, shooting in manual mode can seem daunting and scary.  But with training and practice making the switch to the M is second nature.  Taking pictures that are true to the eye means mastering the basics.  Truly understanding the fundamentals is key to mastering the art.  The DalaiLama said, “Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.”  Well, that sentiment applies to photography perfectly.  By the end of our session, Erin was feeling comfortable shooting in manual mode, and looking forward to shooting more on her own!

I am happy to say that Erin is growing her business and we plan to meet up again soon to help her expand on her skills!

Let’s do this!

This fall was totally perfect.  There were so many days that I would have liked to bottle up and keep forever.  The day I met with Amanda and Dan at Ridley Creek State Park was one of those days.  No surprise that the park was packed with hikers and families as well as there was no shortage of photographers who had the same idea as us.  We had a really nice walk through the park, talked about movies and coffee while taking full advantage of the afternoon sun.  Amanda and Dan have a wonderful natural connection and were a lot of fun to hang out with.  I look forward to their wedding this time next year at Normandy Farms!

This fall season has been simply perfect for portraits.  It was a lot of fun to see this crew again!  Isn’t it amazing how fast the little ones grow when they are not yours,??? lol.  These three kids are jam-packed with personality.  Gavin was all smiles, and Matthew was totally curious about all the little things at the Mansion.  At the end of the session, Brielle had her own little mini session and really showed off her dance moves! 

The absolute best part of being a photographer getting to document so many wonderful moments in couples’ lives.  From the engagement session to the wedding day and on to family portraits, it is truly a blessing.  Megan and Mike, thank you so much for having me as your photographer!

Another successful Photo Walk on the books!

On this walk, Kyle and I took to the heel-toe express in Lambertville to talk all things f stops, shutter speeds, and ISO.

We had an absolutely perfect day to take pictures.  Peak fall color, check.  Summer weather in November, check. Lovely sunset, check.  The fall color made working on accurate exposures and talking about F-stops easy.  If you know me and we have worked together, you know I’m a stickler for camera settings. At its core, photography is all about accurate settings.  Once mastered, the possibilities to create and be free with your vision are endless.  This reminds me of one of my all-time favorite quotes from Dorothea Lange “I believe in living with the camera and not using the camera.”  Not only was she an amazing photographer, but she also gifted the world with some incredible insights into life and photography.  Becoming comfortable with the camera and its settings feels great.  Shooting fully manual is liberating.  It is a wonderful feeling to be able to capture what you see exactly how you want to see it.

 Pablo Picaso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”  

If you or someone you know would like to learn how to take better pictures and to shoot in manual mode - reach out anytime.

>>>>>Check out my last Photo Walk here <<<<<

How sweet are these pictures!  We had a nice little walk through Smithville Mansion with the most epic fall backdrops.  Carleigh had a huge smile the whole time, and I didn’t have to use the Elmo voice once!  This fam jam is a pleasure to photograph and I look forward to our next session.

Congrats to Mary and Tom!  Their plans changed a little but they still had a really sweet ceremony at Wells Mills Park, the same spot where they had their engagement session.

This crew always cracks me up and has jokes for days.  Sometimes I have to stop taking pictures to simply laugh.  It’s always nice to see happy couples after their wedding, and there were a few familiar faces in the crowd and the bridal party.

Tom and Mary are still planning on having their big wedding next year at Blue Heron Pines and I’m sure it’s going to be a serious throw down!

Ahh, what a special day for Janine and Mike.  Perfect fall weather, color, and the most epic wedding date to boot.  10/10 is easily the most popular wedding day of the year, and I was so thankful to have been able to capture Janine and Mike’s union.  The couple chose to keep their wedding day simple and small at Riverview Restaurant with immediate family and a few friends who joined them after a really sweet and emotional ceremony.  I’m not crying, you’re crying, lol.  For real, I can’t front, sometimes the camera’s viewfinder gets a little foggy when couples exchange vows.  The day was laid back and focused on spending time enjoying the food, drinks, and a lot of laughs with the people who mean the most to them.  Janine and Mike have a great connection and were so easy to photograph.  Catching smiles and laughs throughout the day was a breeze.  Thankfully it will not be the last time I see the newlyweds, as they will be guests at their friends Nicole and Eric’s wedding next April!

Congrats you two!

See their engagement session here!

New Jersey sure is beautiful!  Ellen, Andrew, and I started our engagement session on the toe path in Lambertville.  It was a warm day, and no surprise, the town was busy.  There were lots of folks on foot and on bikes passing by, most of whom knew what we were up to and wished the engaged couple well as they waited for us to get our shot.  While crossing one of the many bridges on the path, we came across the coolest little waterfall and stopped to get a few images and noting again how beautiful New Jersey is.  After poking around town and even stopping for some coffee, we made our way to Goat Hill Overlook.  Ellen had been there before, but it was Andrew’s first time taking in the view, again we noted just how beautiful New Jersey is.  We took our time and made some really great images, and even put the drone in the air.

I’m looking forward to their winter wedding at Lambertville Station!