remember the kid in the classroom who’s desk would be floating around in an abyss…ALONE…like an island?

the kid the teachers would play “musical student” with, the kid who fell asleep in class, challenged authority, NEVER studied, & NOT only scurry by doing homework in homeroom but shouting about…”what were we supposed to do?”…and being late to homeroom to boot!

obviously i’m talking about myself. 

YES, i have sympathy for just about all the teachers who had to put up with yours truly.

what is a mentor? quoting my beloved Webster’s…mentor: a trusted counselor or guide; tutor,coach.  i had one mentor in my life.  my amazing guidance counselor (yes, the geographic area of HS i spent most of my time)…to this day, i light up when i see bruce seward…thank you bruce for enabling me to ascend into my life.  i am forever grateful. 

MY FRIEND, MY MENTOR

before meeting bob davis i’ll be honest.  i didn’t know how to feel about a photographer who was named “a celebrity photojournalist”…what was that supposed to mean? paparazzi? i’m a HARD sell & i’m not caught up in the “who-ha” of this industry of “THE ROCKSTAR PHOTOGS” …as a matter of fact i’ll shy away from it… 

BUT

i attended one of his classes @ WPPI in 2006(?) & then here in my area of balt/dc when he was here on tour.  at one point he was describing his photoshoot during the Oprah car giveaway.  i will never forget how he lit up with such enthusiasm as he described what it felt like to photograph these shrieking hysterically happy women receiving their gifts.

THERE I OBSERVED IT. this guy is REAL.  this man LOVES the art of photography.

additional experiences occurred…ahem…(double decker bus)…& our families formed a close relationship. 

BUT

it wasn’t until the first time i second shot for bob during one of his weddings last summer that i had some “aha” moments.  after the wedding, as my files were being downloaded…oh boy…can i just say how many shots i sc***ed up.  the three of us stayed up very late talking…and i was humbled…i felt discouraged not because of the CC i was receiving from my friends but because of my lack of focus.  bob drove me to the airport the next day & talked to me… & reminded about the gift that God has given me.

well…this is when i self appointed him as my mentor (whether he liked it or not…lol) it’s completely separate from our friendship…we run around like kids taking silly pictures & acting like goofballs while my husband shane & dawn have to tap their watches or beep the horn.

BUT

for the first time in my life i actually cared about what being a student is really about.  he told me, “PRACTICE.PRACTICE.PRACTICE.” and yep, it sank in…and i try my best to PRACTICE as much as i can.  i listened.  not as a friend but as a student.

for ME having a mentor is not about trying to impress…it is about patience, listening, & implementing what i’m being taught.  it is about RESPECT.

my friend, my mentor who LOVES to teach, continues to be a student himself, & shares his knowledge with integrity.  and ME now a student at the ripe YOUNG age of 37 & enjoying it…

WOW.  i can’t believe i used the words “enjoy” & “student” in the same sentence…  ;) 

 BEHIND THE SCENES DURING A WORKSHOP

THE LIRIODENDRON in bel air, md

and so the DAVIS LOVE STORY workshop begins…

thank you kim blair of nvs salon in bel air, md & crysal jo of crystal jo makeup!! 

behind every bob stands a FANTASTIC dawn.  there is a reason they are named davis love story.  i never realized how much work goes into a workshop until helping my friends out.  ESPECIALLY all the DETAILS & heart dawn puts into each individual workshop.  not only did the attendees benefit from her marketing, photoshop, & album design skills but walked away with a few goodies…from each bow tied, jellybean, thank u cards, etc…i’d have to say the vision boards are an AMAZING gift to receive…

as usual, the song “let’s get ready to rumble” is playing in my head.  many of my friends know how much i truly enjoy shooting photogs in STEALTH MODE…

 sure i enjoy shooting models…but i LOVE seeing the smiles of photogs as they are capturing their OWN images…

beautiful reanna…

uber talented photogs, friends, expert steamed crab eaters & during this workshop models kelli marsh & tomas flint

bambi & ontel…i adore them!! i’m so lucky to be photographing their wedding next month!! YAY!

a little more behind the scenes..bob’s image from this is one of my faves (can’t wait for dawn to post it)

it is phenomenal what you can accomplish with only 2 strobes.

huge props to my jedi & good friend armin!!!

 BOB AND DAWN DAVIS WORKSHOPS

i suppose i could be dubbed as bias because they are my friends.  the truth is this: if i did not BELIEVE in what they are doing, i would just nod & smile…& not really say too much one way or another.  i’m honest.  sometimes brutally so…

i trust in what they are doing and am extremely proud in the direction they are heading.  working as a TEAM bob & dawn are a strong force.  i have attended their workshops not only as an attendee but most recently helping as an assistant.  i’ve witnessed first hand the energy, organization, & yes, even the stress of what it takes to put together a workshop….BUT…the devotion for what they are achieving to accomplish is sincere & unfiltered.  in my opinion & experience of attending various workshops…i truly believe in dawn & bob’s “hands on” approach & teaching techniques.  they are stellar artists in this industry & i would recommend anyone who wants to take their own passion for the art of photography to a higher level to attend ANY of their workshops.  and not only come away with additional “tools” & knowledge…BUT…just to have a FANTABULOUS time…

where to start? 

upon returning home from last yrs vacay from st. kitts with my family & friends i had a message from jessica. she viewed  photographs of st. kitts on my travel website via St. Kitts & Nevis Forum. huge PROPS to all the contributers of myislands.  if it weren’t for you (especially liz) jessica & john wouldn’t have found me. and to WINSTON from Bullseye car rental…you are great!!!  seriously? …if you ever need any information regarding SKN this is theeee place to turn to.  everyone who knows me well, is aware of the fact i’m not so constant with forums…i try…but obviously i hardly blog…

AND everyone who knows me is also privy to the fact that st. kitts is my favorite island in theeee entire Caribbean…we’ve been blessed to visit many islands…BUT st. kitts has captured my soul…it was my 8th time back…within 5 yrs… i feel as if i’m “home” when we are there…

i returned jessica’s call…she wanted to know if i would be interested in photographing their wedding in skb…hmmmm…what a really  difficult decision…;)

COINCIDENTLY they lived 50 miles south of me. yes, the world is small. seriously…i receive an inquiry about photographing their wedding in st. kitts while i’m on the island AND then find out they are practically my neighbors!!!

imagine when i open my front door & there they were…jessica & john theee most ADORABLE couple. REALLY. they had me at “hi, will you go to st. kitts & photograph our wedding?”

BUT

getting to know them…especially talking to jessica a bunch of times & truly feeling a connection with her. knowing this special bond between the TWO of them. knowing THEIR story of how & when they met…. 

as a photographer (IMHO) it doesn’t matter how gorgeous the couples are OR how fabulous the location…IF they don’t have the LOVE, CHEMISTRY, & RAW EMOTION…then it will materialize on the photographs. i observed jessica & john’s powerful bond from our first meeting.  THIS is why i was fortunate to capture their wedding.  thank you BOTH so much! thank you JOHN for your patience on our “Dress-Up Day After” in Basseterre hehe…i can’t tell you how fantastic everything was…your friends & (oh my word) your family were soooo energetic & F.U.N…….and until our next shoot….YES, we all had such a blast that i am shooting them again this summer…YAY!!!

to my wonderful friend jamie scott who helped me second shoot jessica & john’s wedding. you made it even more special and i’m so very PROUD of you. xoxoxox to christen & shawn….you both are incredible. what a treat to photograph their wedding and have close friends with me…& practicing off camera lighting with you christen…thank you my dear friends….

to the entire management & staff of the Marriott St. Kitts…you continue to make me feel welcome & giving jessica & john some added perks. i greatly appreciate it. david khey we shall meet in person one of these days. thank you to hadiya mills the Marriott’s wedding coordinator & especially oschmo & yolta…i just love your smiles!!!

oh.my.word…i have A LOT to write about…but for now i’m just placing some images on here from jessica & john’s “dress-up” the day after their wedding in Basseterre, St. Kitts…

much more to follow in a few days!

my friend Armin takes GTG’s for photogs to a whole new level for our profession.

EFFICIANT.TALENTED.HELPFUL.ORGANIZED…and yep, a bit of a ball buster (can i write that on a blog?)…. for this last gtg he actually had to turn peeps away to keep crowd control.  a tough situation to be in…AND some of YOU did NOT show because of rain…YOU KNOW WHO U R!!! ;) 

i adore armin & thank him for all of his hard work.  such a fun afternoon with the weather turning out quite pleasant.

i had a fantastic time shooting all of you…even though i was photographing your cameras…i mean really…do u think we like our 70-200’s? nope…not at all…

thank you Ali McLaughlin, Kelly S, Ivonne E. for modeling & Kelly Woods of Facemode!

~hopefully more to come on italy soon…BUT…in the meanwhile my good friend & fabulous photog Jen has AMAZING images with many details from our adventure…visit her blog HERE ~

just joking…no rules were BROKEN

troy

mario…(as i’m uploading the images the song “LET”S GET READY TO RUMBLE” is playing in my head…

christie…wondering if she was @ WPPI?

kari

armin

asim

ron

 ali

 shelby

theresa

noah…our light master w/hennessey, ryan, asim & kelly

 ME…oh my word…that isn’t me on the ground!!!

ivonne

when immersing myself in history i can ENVISION how individuals from a particular era lived, breathed, & co-existed…taking my mind to a place of culture & life  hundreds of years ago…i have an extrememly over active imagination…& i’m very visual…..

for ONCE my husband didn’t give me too hard of a time for slightly bending the rules…ahem..it was truly to our benefit…(remember i immerse myself)….

Guiseppi (one of the guards) caught me climbing over fences & roped off areas…well just twice…i think. there was one place in particular that we all wanted to see…HOUSE OF MENANDER…he TRULY was sooooo sweet & gracious that after jen & i pleaded he gave us a  PRIVATE tour of the house of menander…an area of pompeii that as of now cannot be seen by the public.  he even continued to show us a few other “off” limit areas…we just adored him!  even with the language bearier we were able to communicate pretty well with him…;)

**i do not endorse being a rule breaker…oops…i mean rule BENDER…do so at your own risk**

 Grazie to GUISEPPI our fantastic “tour” guide…

 encased in glass…remains found in the ground of House of Menander

 ORIGINALS

amazing how intact this is…considering what it was used for…(not good)

 me, jen & april…in awe…

kenny trying to keep me out of trouble…

 my good friend and fellow photographer amy compared christine to having a “jackie o” style.  i’m inclined to agree.  christine is absolutely stunning…& embodies…SOPHISTICATION.ELEGANCE.PANACHE & a subtle inner confidence that makes her special…

I had the honor of capturing these moments…and LOVED every minute of it… 

  i loved witnessing tom’s “first” peek at Christine.

look at his expression…ADORATION.BLISS.EXHILARATION!!

  i find it befitting that my first “official” post on this blog begins with the last wedding i photographed on december 13th 2008.    

tom & christine bromwell…

beginning at the westin in annapolis, photographing around the maryland state house, onto the governor’s mansion so our very own governor could personally congratulate tom on his wedding day…with the influence of tom’s brother Delegate eric bromwell, onto st. anne’s parish for the ceremony, & finishing off a perfectly FANTABULOUS day for the recption at at paul’s on the south river…

thank you christine & tom for trusting me.  your wedding was truly EXQUISITE…

and special props to my friend megan beth (a gifted photographer) who was my FUN second…thank u!!!

 the boys with the governor 

 of all the weddings i’ve photographed and attended, i don’t think i’ve come across soooooooooo many HYSTERICAL images…to protect the innocent i can’t post…well…some of them…LUCKILY these are friends of mine…so…i shouldn’t get in too much trouble…;)

MY FAVORITE PRICELESS EXPRESSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! seriously.take a look.

check out the CHIC behind the lens…only a photographer would have a GRIN like that when obviously something is amiss

tom’s killer grin…

my beloved dictionary

i love my dictionary…so of course i opened it up to find the definition of the word blog.  NOTHING.ZIP.NIL.   it does not exist in my Webster dictionary…albeit, it IS ancient…from 2005!!!!                 

when in doubt?  Google is here to oblige.

blog: (a contraction of the term “web log”) alright… i cannot list EVERYTHING from wikipedia (i should google “wiki” as well while i’m at it)  key words: commentary,online diaries,combining text & images,artlog,sketchblog,vlog…hmmmm…my head is spinning.

i’ll admit this…i really have no idea how well i will keep up with blogging…

BUT

i have an inkling it will be a mixture of my professional & semi-personal life…i have finally accepted the fact i must “embrace” this way of communicating…and you NEVER know just what i may “blog” about… ;)